


The Peculiarity Of Our Genetics

by Yulicia



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, X-Men/Mutant AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2018-12-02 03:13:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11500587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yulicia/pseuds/Yulicia
Summary: The year is 1967. Armitage Hux, leader of a team within the CIA created to hunt mutants, has been chasing the elusive mutant known as Kylo Ren for months - and he was about as his wits end. When he does finally manage to find him, however, Hux realises just how quickly the hunter can become the captured.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Surprisingly, the mutant au someone (you know who you are) actually did ask for! Curse Twitter for giving me too many ideas!  
> This is unbeta'd, so please be gentle on me in terms of my editing ;_;.  
> Warning for some heavily implied child abuse and some probably less than safe uses of mutant powers.
> 
> EDIT: As of 19/11/17 I have changed this from it's original one-shot format into a chaptered fic. Nothing otherwise has changed and I apologise if you were expecting another chapter.

_April, 1967._

Though Hux had never met the man before, Kylo Ren was proving to be one massive thorn in his side.

Hux had been instructed by his superiors to track down a highly dangerous mutant known only as Kylo Ren, and was given very little to work with as far as any leads go. He’d been given that assignment six months ago, and since then every lead he had had been a false dead end. Kylo Ren was as slippery as an eel, and at this point Hux was beginning to doubt if the man was even real. There were no photographs of him, only vague sightings from around the country describing him. From what Hux knew, he was hunting a six foot two, dark haired ghost.

Staring down at the man’s infuriatingly bare file, Hux heaved a sigh. He felt the beginnings of a migraine coming on and his fingers itched for a cigarette. When he’d gotten this case he’d been ecstatic; a case presented by the Thrask Corp. was not one to be snuffed at. His father had even congratulated him on his assignment – something Brendol never did. Now, though, he wanted this assignment gone but he wasn’t to be reassigned to another case until this one had been solved. So far, all this case had managed to do was hinder the impressive progress he was making in his career, his so steady track record falling apart in front of him.

Hux flinched as the shrill ring of the desk phone rattled his desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose and picked it up.

“Armitage Hux of the Mutant Task Division,” he said, the words no more than a scripted start.

The sound of his father’s voice came through the phone. “Have you made any leads on the Kylo Ren case?”

Hux brushed off the lack of greeting with a practiced air. “He’s yet to make himself apparent to me.”

There was a snuffle from the other side, likely Brendol wiping his nose. “Are you not a CIA agent, Armitage?”

Feeling as though he was stepping into a mine field, Armitage answered with caution. “I am.”

“Is it not in your job description to find those who are hiding from you?”

Hux gritted his teeth. He felt his hands beginning to clench. “It is.”

“Do I have to speak with your superior to find something more suited to your skill set; perhaps something in administration?”

Hux’s gut dropped at the thought of being stuck as a desk junky for the CIA. He’d seen what that job does to people, and it wasn’t pretty. “Of course not,” he said quickly, feeling a faint wave of nausea at how quickly he’d bent to his father’s will. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t do that. Perhaps he was a weak-willed as his father thought him.

“Then I suggest you find him. Thrask is waiting.”

And with that Brendol was gone, only silence on the other end of the line to replace him. Hux put the phone back into its cradle, perhaps far more aggressively than necessary. He fought off the urge to pace around his office, instead letting his nails dig painfully into his palms. He knew hoped it left a mark, it would remind him of his failures. He fumbled around in his desk draw, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, breathing out the smoke is a slow stream. It only managed to calm him minutely.

He poured over Kylo Ren’s folder for some time before he looked absently as the clock, seeing that it was nearing five o’clock in the evening. Hux breathed heavily, heaving himself out of his chair and straightening his tie. He collected his things and walked from his office to the lift.

In the lift there was a woman who rode the carriage with him. He didn’t recognise her and he figured she must’ve been from another department. They exchanged no words, something Hux was ever thankful for.

As Hux left the building and was met with the chilly air of night time Seattle he noticed his fingers were shaking just slightly, barely enough to be visible. He felt as though there was something within them screaming to get out, likely stress. It often felt as though his nervous energy was a living creature – that at least certainly was not a new feeling. He’d often complained about it as a child, and Brendol had often told him to suck it up. He’d stopped talking about it soon enough.

He needed a drink. He needed something strong to take his find off the name ‘Kylo Ren’, something to make him forget about the case for just a few minutes. That’s all he needed – just a few minutes of peace, a small respite.

Hux made his way down the street, to a bar he’d not been in before dodging people rushing by as he went. It looked homely, the board outside reading _‘The Red Onion’_. There was a delicious smell wafting through the open door, the place smelling like a pot roast Maratelle used to make.

As he stepped inside, he saw the inside of the bar was much the same as the outside. It was a small establishment with only a bar and a few tables stuffed into the corner. There was soft music playing from the jukebox by the door, the man’s voice smooth and inviting. There were only ten or so people in the bar, despite it being presumably its peak time for service. There was a group of men in the corner, all dressed in suits and clearly just having clocked off from some corporate job and hoping to unwind from the gruesome week – Hux could relate. There was also a couple in the corner, a smartly dressed young man talking to an even younger looking woman in a baby blue dress, both clearly enraptured by each other’s presence, their eyes never leaving the others. The only person who did not seem to have someone to talk to was a solitary man sitting by the bar.

He was tall, though his shoulders were hunched so that he appeared to make himself look smaller. His hair was long, falling in soft waves around his shoulders, an oddity amongst the fashion of the time. Only free loving hippies chose to wear that style. His clothing, too, was odd compared to the other patrons in the bar, his attire far more casual with a dark sweater and loose slacks. Hux found himself both confused and intrigued by the man.

Hux took a seat at the bar, far from the strange man with the long hair. The bartended looked towards him, and he simply replied with an order of a scotch and soda. The bartended quickly prepared his drink, and slid it towards him. Hux thanked him with a smile, and placed the appropriate cost on the bar, thankful for the briefness of the interaction.

Hux took a cautionary sip of his drink. It was bitter of course, the alcohol in it sharp on his tongue. He rolled the bubbles from the soda around on his tongue for a moment before swallowing, the scotch burning down his throat. He sipped at the drink again and again until he found he could do so no more, taking passing glances to the man at the end of the bar. Hux couldn’t keep his eyes off him. There was definitely something strange about him, something in Hux’s gut telling him that this man was someone to watch out for. At one moment their eyes met, and while Hux quickly looked away, he felt the other man’s gaze linger on him for longer.

“So, what brings you to Seattle?” He heard the bartender ask the strange man.

“Summer break,” The man answered simply, his voice deep and even. Hux repressed a shiver at the sound.

“A student, huh? You didn’t strike me as an academic, whatcha studying?” The bartender asked, his accent clearly not native to Washington.  

The man paused for a moment. “Psychology.”

“Oh, very nice. Where are you studying?”

“Westchester County, at a private institution,” The man replied, his answer bored and clearly wishing for the conversation to stop.

The bartender persisted, not taking the hint. “New York?! Ah, I always wanted to go there, it sounds wonderful,” The bartender paused, thinking for a moment, “Say, I didn’t quite catch your name.”

The stranger cleared his throat before answering. “Kylo Ren.”

For Hux, it was if time stood still. This is the man he’d been looking for for months. This was Kylo Ren. He was within mere metres of the mutant that could save his career _and_ impress his father.  He suppressed a gasp, not waiting to tip off the mutant to his knowledge. He went to drink from his glass, but found it tragically empty. His heart was beating in his chest. He had to do something.

Kylo reached into the pockets of his slacks and pulled out a roll of bills, placing some on the bar to pay for his drink. “I have to go, thank you for the drink.”

“Ah, anytime,” The bartender replied, his face falling just slightly. He overcompensated with an obviously fake smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Hux watched as Kylo walked out the door, his stride swift and confident. He quickly jumped from his chair as Kylo left his sight, following him outside. He followed Kylo down the street, dodging passers-by. He keep a constantly watch on the mutant, who seemed to be blissfully unaware that he was being tracked.

Kylo turned into an alleyway, one Hux knew was a dead end. He smiled to himself, reaching into down. He was thankful that he had thought to bring his standard issue gun with him, as well as the specialised tranquilising bullets the Thrask Corp. had given him specifically designed to neutralise a person’s mutation. Hux didn’t know what mutation Kylo had, but he wanted to be sure. Mutants were dangerous, no matter in what way there were different.

He rounded the corner to find Kylo standing facing him. Their eyes met.

“I know why you’re following me,” Kylo said simply. His face was passive, showing no emotion, “You know I’m a mutant, and for whatever reason your superiors want my body.”

Hux didn’t waste time in pulling his gun into position and firing. The barrel fired with a loud crack that reverberated around the alleyway, the sound bouncing from wall to wall. Hux expected to see Kylo jolt with the force of the bullet, but instead he saw Kylo was holding out his hand, and the bullet was stuck suspended in mid-air.

“Clearly they didn’t tell you what my mutation was,” Kylo tutted, sending the bullet flying into the nearby wall, the metal making a small dent as it impacted.

Hux tried to take a step back, but found that his body wouldn’t cooperate, that he, like the bullet, was stuck in a static position. He felt his eyes widen in surprise, and his heart thundered in his chest. Why wouldn’t his body _move_?

“Because my mutation allows for me to control things telekinetically, like say, a bullet, or a person’s muscular system.”

“I didn’t say that aloud,” Hux said, his voice strained.

“I know. I’m in your mind as well.”

Hux felt a faint sense of nausea at that. “Get out of my head.”

Kylo looked to the side, his eyebrows furrowing. He mumbled something to himself, something so quiet Hux couldn’t hear it no matter how hard he strained to. Hux could hear his heart in his ears, the loud thump thump drowning out any sound he might have heard. His vision narrowed in, and he could only see Kylo. He knew he would be shaking if he could move at all.

Kylo looked up once more, a dark expression on his face. He chewed at his lower lip for a moment before speaking. “This isn’t going to be pleasant,” he said, cryptically. Hux’s heart skipped a beat at that.

Kylo held out his hand, this time directing his palm towards Hux’s head. He clenched his fist in a quick motion. As he did so Hux felt his vision begin to dim, and after a mere blink of time everything went black and he could think no more.

* * *

 

Hux awoke with a start, gasping for air as if he were drowning.

“Oh, you’re awake. That’s good.”

That was Kylo’s voice.

Hux blinked awake, rubbing at his eyes. He was thankful that he could move his arms once more. His entire body ached and he felt as though he’d been run over by a truck. He was lying down, his face pressed against something hard. He took a glace down, and saw that it was a seat made of stiff red vinyl.

Hux, with some effort, sat up with a pained groan. He took a cursory look around. He was in the back seat of a car, one he didn’t recognise. In front of him he could see the back of Kylo’s head, his dark hair now tied into a knot. A few stray strands fell from the knot and cascaded down his neck, dipping to hide under the collar of his sweater. Kylo’s neck was exposed and Hux distantly thought that he might have been able to get a good choke hold on the man from where he sat, but brushed that thought aside remembering Kylo’s mutation. He ran a hand along his side to check for his gun, finding that it was, as he suspected, missing.

He then turned to the window, wincing at the influx of bright light his retinas were suddenly receiving. There was a small amount of frost gathering on the edges of the windows. Hux held back a tut, clearly Kylo had not used this car in some time. They were moving, and outside there was nothing but forest as far as the eye could see. From just that, Hux couldn’t tell where he was.

“Where are you taking me?” Hux demanded, his voice cracking from disuse. He must have been out cold for some time. Just how far away from Seattle were they?

“Westchester,” Kylo replied, strangely upfront. Hux’s brows furrowed at the answer.

“New York?”

Kylo nodded slightly. “That’s the one.”

“Why? That’s a forty hour drive from Seattle.”

Kylo’s fingers tapped on the wheel. “There’s someone there who wants to meet you.”

“’Someone’,” Hux repeated, his voice monotone, “Might I ask exactly who?”

“A professor. A mentor of mine.”

Hux scoffed. “A professor of psychology at an Academy in Westchester country has asked you to kidnap a CIA agent because _he wants to meet me_?”

“This isn’t a kidnapping,” Kylo snapped, “And he’s not a professor of psychology.”

“In what possible way is this not a kidnapping?” Hux asked incredulously, “I’m only surprised you haven’t put me in handcuffs yet.”

“I don’t need to handcuff you,” Kylo said, “You know what I can do.”

Hux huffed, deciding he wasn’t going to get anywhere with Kylo. He sat back in his seat heavily, being more dramatic than a professional man perhaps should have been. He racked his brain for a way to get out of this situation, but each and every solution he came up with was thwarted in some way by Kylo’s infuriating mutation. In fact, Hux mused, he was probably in his head right now, laughing at all of the foolish plans Hux had thought up.

“I am,” Kylo said, causing Hux to flinch, “Some of them have been quite good.”

Hux huffed a breath, a growl creeping into the sound. “What do I have to do to get you to stay _out_ of my head?”

Kylo was silent for a moment. “I can’t trust you unless I’m reading your thoughts.”

“Alright then,” Hux conceded, “I’m not going to try to escape.”

“Hux, I just listened to you brainstorm escape plans for twenty minutes.”

“Alright,” Hux said, “I’m not going to try and escape _from now on_.”

Kylo was silent and there was a slight pressure against Hux’s forehead, the phantom sensation foreign and strangely violating. Kylo hummed.

“I can feel the sincerity in that,” Kylo said, looking up into the car’s rear-view mirror so that he could look Hux in the eye as he did so. “And if you do try, I hope you know I can easily overpower you.”

“I’m well aware of that fact, thank you,” Hux grumbled, pointedly not looking at Kylo, but instead outside.

The conversation came to a standstill, and the car fell into a somewhat awkward silence. Hux watched the grasslands pour into even more fields of grass, still unsure of exactly where they were. He huffed, hating the sensation of not knowing but not willing to ask Kylo. He was conflicted in that he wished Kylo were still in his head so that he wouldn’t have to actually ask, but since Kylo was not answering, was pleased to know that Kylo had actually kept his word. A chill ran through Hux, freezing him right up his spine. He pulled his jacket tighter. This wasn’t unusual, he had always been sensitive to the cold, and would seem to be cold no matter how warm the room outside was. His father had always said it was poor circulation that he’d inherited from him.

_His father._

His heart skipped a beat at the thought of Brendol. How was his father going to react when he didn’t show up for work on Monday morning? _Probably absolutely pleased with himself about being right_ , Hux reasoned. But he wouldn’t be pleased at knowing Hux had failed the critical mission he had tasked his son with. This was the one time Brendol had actually trusted him with an important case, and here he was, screwing it all up. He felt sweat beginning to bead on his forehead, the sensation uncomfortable when paired with his already low temperature.

Decidedly refusing the panic, Hux pushed the thought of his father aside. He would go with Kylo to see this mentor of his, speak about whatever it was they wanted to talk about, and then he would get a flight home – hopefully in time to make it back to the office on Monday. If not, well, he’d make up some excuse. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d ever lied to Brendol.

Taking a deep breath, Hux calmed his nerves. He turned his attention once more to the endless forests outside. He couldn’t see very well from the back seat he realised, turning his attention once more to Kylo.

“If I’m going to be in here for the excruciating amount of time this drive is going to take can I at least sit in the passenger seat?” Hux asked.

“If you behave.”

“If I behave?” Hux spluttered, “Are you trying to buy my compliance with positive reinforcement? How old am I, five?”

Kylo barked a short laugh, the sound a deep rumble. “I hope not, else I’ll have to ask the CIA to reconsider their recruiting policy.”

Hux scoffed. “You couldn’t possibly ask the CIA anything, you don’t have that jurisdiction.”

“You’d be surprised,” Kylo answered.

“What is that supposed to mean?!”

There was a beat of a silence.  Kylo heaved a sigh.

“Yes, you can sit in the passenger seat.”

Hux shook his head in confusion, as though clearing it. “That’s not what I asked.”

“It was before,” Kylo replied.

Hux saw red. “Answer my question!”

“I did,” Kylo said. Hux could see him smirking in the mirror.

“You know what I mean, don’t be deliberately obtuse!”

Kylo hummed. “If you must know, my mentor worked alongside the CIA some years ago – that’s what I meant.”

Hux couldn’t even take pleasure in finding out – even the victory felt bittersweet. He couldn’t believe this mutant was able to get under his skin so easily. It was infuriating. Not only had he managed to allow the tables to turn on himself, Hux had also managed to get himself kidnapped by a sarcastic, egotistical asshole with the most invasive mutant powers he could have possibly stumbled across.

Hux breathed heavily through his nose, attempting to remain calm in the face of adversity. He unclenched his palms that he had not realised had managed to curl themselves into tight fists. As he unfurled his fingers he saw that he had left several crescent moon shaped red marks behind. He rubbed absent minded at them, his fingers icy against his palm.

He leaned back in the backseat chair, resting head on top of the vinyl. He let his head fall to the side, a few strands of hair that had come loose from his slicked style falling in front of his eyes. He brushed them back quickly, pleading with them to return to their professional position. He might be a victim of a kidnapping but he was not about to look unprofessional.

Hux watched the forests go on and on for several miles, the only sounds in the car the rumble and clicks of the engine and tapping of Kylo’s fingers on the steering wheel. That sound began to irritate Hux almost immediately, though he kept his thoughts to himself. Kylo, he figured, was probably in his head anyway, despite his previous promise not to be. If Hux were in his position, he wouldn’t stay out.

Hux was jerked out of a light daze by the swing of the car pulling into a gas station by the side of the road. Hux leaned up, shifting so that he could see more clearly outside.

The gas station was the only building he could see, and he figured the only building he was going to _be_ seeing for some time. The building was rather run down and old, and Hux doubted highly that there was actually anyone around to run the place. His attention was caught by the rattle of Kylo’s keys being removed from the ignition.

“Stay here,” Kylo said, opening the car door and unfurling his frankly unnecessary size from the seat.

“Or what?”

Kylo gave him an unimpressed look and tapped his fingers to his temple. “You know what.”

And with that Kylo stalked away to find the attendant for the gas station and left Hux alone in the chilly interior of the car. Hux climbed over the back seat, settling himself on the passenger seat. He cringed at the mess he probably made with his dirty shoes on the back seat, but really, that was Kylo’s fault for locking the back doors. Hux let his eyes wander across what was barely a gas station, feeling more and more unnerved by the place at time went onwards. There was an infinite emptiness to the place, the worn stones and peeling paint a perfect backdrop for something sinister.

Hux sat waiting for what must have been fifteen minutes before Kylo returned to his seat, having already filled the car with gas. He put the key back into the ignition and twisted it, the engine roaring back to life, and drove onwards without a word.

“I noticed you didn’t take any money with you,” Hux said, glancing sideways to look at Kylo.

Kylo hummed. “Very observant.”

“A tank of gas usually requires some sort of monetary turnover.”

Kylo said nothing, only glanced over to meet Hux’s eyes and tapped his fingers to his temple twice.

“Of course,” Hux said, unimpressed, “That must fall under fraudulence. I could have you arrested for that.”

“You could have me arrested on a fair number of things.”

Hux snorted. “That I could. I was a very good agent.”

“’Was’?” Kylo asked. Hux tilted his head in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“You said ‘was a very good agent’. Past-tense. Do you not think you’ll still be one when you return?”

“No – I – Of, of course I will. Simple slip of the tongue.”

 Kylo ‘mmm-hmm’d’ at that, but he didn’t sound quite convinced. There was a beat of silence, Kylo’s eyes firmly glued to the road.

“Why does your father want me so badly?”

Hux blinked, stunned momentarily. “I beg your pardon?”

“I saw it, my case, in your mind,” Kylo said, still looking ahead, “Why were you tasked to find me?”

Hux’s heart skipped a beat. “I don’t know,” he said, lying through his teeth but hoping Kylo didn’t notice.

“You’re lying.” _Shit._

“No, I’m not.”

Kylo snorted. “I may not be in your head but I can feel the uncertainly flowing off you in waves.”

Hux shifted uncomfortably in his seat. _Damn mutant._ “A man called Thrask wants you - for what reasons I’m unsure. He happens to be one of the biggest donors to my father’s campaign, and my father would prefer to keep it that way.”

“Strange, then, that he’d task something so important to you.”

Hux’s brows furrowed. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Your father doesn’t like you. He doesn’t trust you. He thinks you’re unfit for your position.”

Hux opened his mouth to speak but only a squeak emerged. He pushed down the uncomfortable dizzy feel of nausea that arose every time his father was mentioned and cleared his throat. “How do you know that?”

Kylo looked at him and went to bring his fingers to his temple once more but Hux cut him off before he could. “Got it. Your mutation,” he said, crinkling his nose in disgust.

Kylo snorted. “You really don’t like my mutation, do you?”

“I don’t like _any_ mutation,” Hux clarified, “Mutants are a dangerous abomination amongst society.”

“You’re saying those words but you don’t believe them,” Kylo said. Hux felt his fingers curling once more into his palms.

“Get out of my head,” Hux warned.

“I’ve kept my promise; I’m not in your head anymore,” Kylo said, “But you say those words like they aren’t yours. Like you’re an actor reading a script.”

Hux felt heat rising to his cheeks. “Whether or not I believe them is irrelevant! Facts cannot be believed or disbelieved – it is in the very nature of factual information to surpass belief.”            

 “Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Kylo said, his voice monotonous and bored. Hux wanted to strangle him.

The conversation ended there, and Hux was left to seethe in his own mind, Kylo seeming completely indifferent to the turmoil he’d just stirred with Hux. The mention of his father - of what his father thought of him - had thrown him somewhat off-kilter. His mind just kept repeating _‘weak-willed’ ‘thin as a slip of paper’ ‘useless’_ over and over again, the hissing voice of Brendol Hux as clear and as booming as the very day he’d said those things. And how _dare_ Kylo insinuate that he didn’t believe in his own words! It may have been his father that had truly created them, but he’d believed his whole life mutants were dangerous. The fiasco at Cuba, and the assassination five years ago had only served to prove him right. They weren’t people, not truly, not in the way Hux was. Hux knew his humanity, had complete reassurance in it. Mutants were monsters, and monsters got people killed.

“We’re here,” Kylo said, his voice breaking Hux out of his spell.

Hux blinked, looking outside the car window. They were at another building, the sign dull painted sign by the gate swinging gently in the breeze advertising the words _Eli’s Rest-stop_.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere between the Washington border and Missoula if I’d hazard a guess.”

Hux looked at Kylo incredulously, eyes wide. “You’re guessing where we are?!”

Kylo nodded. He seemed to be barely listening, instead beginning to stroll towards the motel’s front door.

“How do you expect to get to Westchester doing that?!” Hux asked, following close on Kylo’s heels. Kylo stopped and turned to him. 

“I have my mentor to guide me,” Kylo said simply, complete belief blanketing his features.

“You’re using mind tricks to drive cross-country?!” Hux near-yelled, his voice an octave higher than it perhaps should have been. “Are you mad?!”

Kylo’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “I know what I’m doing.”

“I bloody hope so,” Hux mumbled under his breath, so faint he was sure Kylo wouldn’t be able to make out the words. Kylo didn’t seem to react to the jab, only walked confidently onwards through the motel downs.

The door jingled as it was opened, the bell above it swinging back and forth with a chime. As entered after Kylo he was immediately assaulted by the smell of sour antiseptic mixed with the stale smell of old carpet. The lobby certainly looked as though it had seen better days. The entire place was coloured with a dull brown, the wallpaper yellowed with age. Its only furnishings were the front desk and a few old, sad looking armchairs. There was a tall, clearly plastic, potted plant near the armchairs that was valiantly attempting to brighten the atmosphere of the truly depressing check-in area, though Hux wasn’t fooled. He found his nose scrunching.

A woman, perhaps in what looked to be at least her sixties popped out from the archway by the front desk. Her footsteps clicked with each step as she made her way to stand behind the desk. Her hair was a solid grey, all colour having been sapped from it with time, and a pair of small, circular reading glasses rested perched on her large nose. Her mouth was pulled into a friendly, hospitable smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Welcome to Eli’s Rest-Stop, are you looking to book a room for tonight?” She said, her voice high and clearly put on.

Hux looked at Kylo, who already seemed to be stepping towards the desk. “We are,” Kylo said.

The woman dipped down to pull a hefty leather-bound book out from the back of the desk. She dropped it onto the desk with a thud. “What sort of lodgings would you two gentlemen be after?”

“A single room with two beds would be preferable,” Kylo said, leaning against the desk. Hux’s eyebrows shot up at that. He wasn’t exactly eager to spend the night with the mutant.

The women flipped open the book and scanned the last few pages, her finger sliding down a list drawn in ink. She followed her finger with her eyes, and when she’d found whatever it was she was looking for tapped at the page with her finger and turned to take a pair of keys from the wall behind her.

“Room 176 fits that description,” She said, putting the keys down on the counter, “How will you be paying this evening?”

Kylo took the keys and pocketed them. His finger twitched at his side. “We’ve already paid.”

The women’s eyes took on a glazed appearance for a moment before she spoke. “You’ve already paid, of course, my mistake. Have a good evening, gentlemen.”

Kylo looked at him with one eyebrow cocked, a smug look on his face. Hux only looked at him disappointedly.

Kylo walked off, not waiting for Hux to follow but rather assuming that he would. Hux, though begrudgingly, followed behind. They had to climb a set of creaky stairs and follow down a long corridor before they reached the door with the plaque reading 176.

The keys jangled as Kylo took them from his pocket and inserted them into the lock. “We’ll get going first thing in the morning,” he said, turning the lock and pushing open the door. It creaked as he did so.

Their room smelled much the same as the lobby did and fit the very same colour pallet. Inside were nothing more than two beds and a pair of nightstands by them. The pillows on them looked flat, the blankets thin and scratchy, but it certainly wouldn’t be the worst place Hux had ever slept in. At least this place had a bathroom. 

“I’ll be back in a second,” Kylo said, already halfway out the door. Hux said nothing in acknowledgement, only allowed him to leave.           

As Kylo was gone Hux spent his time milling around the little motel room. He found out that the window didn’t open at all, the blinds took some effort to get to close, and there was a suspicious stain on the underside of the pillow on the bed furthest from the window. He took a seat on the unstained bed - he’d leave that one to Kylo.

When Kylo returned he was laden with a heavy looking duffle-bag. He threw it onto the bed Hux wasn’t sitting on, the bed sagging with its weight. Hux eyed it warily. Kylo caught his eye.

“It’s not a bomb, Hux,” Kylo said, “It’s full of clothes.”

Kylo opened the bag, pulling it open to show Hux. He was right – it really was only full of clothes. Kylo looked at Hux, his eye widening as if he’d suddenly just realised something. He turned to the bag, rummaging through it and pulling out a pair of light blue pajamas. He threw them at Hux, who quickly caught them.

“What are these for?” Hux asked, looking down at them.

“Sleeping, usually.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Kylo smirked. “I know. You don’t have anything to sleep in though, so you can borrow those.”

“Oh,” Hux said, feeling foolish, “Thank you.”

Kylo looked taken aback for a moment. “No problem. I didn’t exactly think to stop by your place to get anything before I, uh, kidnapped you.”

“So you admit you did kidnap me.”

Kylo sighed. “To be fair, you _were_ going to kill me. Lesser of two evils and all that.”

“I wasn’t going to kill you,” Hux said.

“Oh?” Kylo replied, looking unconvinced.

“The bullets in my gun were intended to stun you.”

“They wouldn’t have worked on me,” Kylo mused, “Being a mutant and all.”

Hux was silent for a moment. He bit his lip before speaking. “They were created specifically with your special designation in mind.”

Kylo froze, his entire being going stiff. He looked at Hux with an expression of mild horror. “What?”

“Thrask designed them specifically to stop mutants. They’re only a proto-type, but it’s what I was given.”

Kylo began to pace. “How could he have possibly gotten the information needed to create something like that?” he asked, the question directed to no one in particular.

“They may not even work,” Hux mused.

Kylo stopped and turned to him. “But they also might.”

“That’s true,” Hux conceded.

Kylo’s pacing started once more, his hand placed in a fist in front of his mouth. His shoulders were hunched as he did so. He then stopped suddenly, making a beeline to sit on the bed opposite from Hux. He waited in silence for a few moments before turning to Hux.

“I need to contact my mentor,” Kylo said, moving to sit cross legged on the bed.

“The phone’s over here,” Hux said, looking at the clunky phone sitting on the nightstand close to his bed. Kylo shook his head.

“I don’t need a phone. I have my mutation.”

Hux paused for a moment, his brows furrowing in disbelief. “You’re going to contact your mentor in Westchester through your mind?”

Kylo nodded. “I’ve been doing it since Seattle,” he said, “Though I need concentration for this length of communication. Hence, I need you to leave.” 

Hux breathed heavily through his nose. “Where do I go?”

Kylo sighed, a growl creeping into the sound. “I don’t know, go brush your teeth or something, take a shower?”

“I don’t have a toothbrush,” Hux said, knowing now he was being deliberately stubborn. He bit back a smile. He took a perverse pleasure in riling Kylo up.

Kylo huffed, his shoulders beginning to tremble with anger. “Use your finger,” he snapped.

Hux conceded then, dipping into the bathroom. As he closed the door he saw Kylo’s eyes slipped closed, an expression of intense concentration marring his features. The door latched with a click, and he leant his head against it, his forehead making a light thud as he did so. He cringed, the contact reawakening the headache Ren’s mutation tricks had given him earlier. He inhaled deeply then exhaled in a huff.

He couldn’t believe how quickly his life had turned. Only this morning he’d been tucked away in his office agonising over his unsolved case and now here he was, having been stolen away by the subject of said case. _Can’t even do that right,_ a voice that sounded suspiciously like his father hissed in his head. His fists clenched at the words. He resisted the urge to pound his fist against the door, not wanting to disturb whatever strange ritual Kylo was performing on the other side of the thin bathroom walls.

Hux turned, making a beeline to the sink. He braced his hands against the frigid off-white porcelain and looked up at his reflection in the mirror. It was familiar, save for some stubble beginning along his jaw and disarray beginning in his hair, a few copper strands falling free of his slick style. He blew a puff of air at them, waiting in the mirror as they rose with the gust and then swiftly fell back into place. The flutter of the shower curtain behind him caught his eye in his reflection.

He swung around, peeling back the dull green plastic sheet, the metal rings attaching it squeaking horribly as he did so. He peered into the shower, seeing that it was surprisingly relatively clean, save for some discolouration on the floor and wall tilling. Hux paused for a moment, then, realising he might as well do something while he waited for Kylo to be finished, began to divest himself of his clothes. Once done, he cautiously turned the hot tapped clockwise. The showerhead immediately sprouted icy cold water, and Hux was thankful he hadn’t stepped in first and then turned the tap on.

Hux held his hand under the spray, waiting until it warmed to at least a lukewarm temperature. Once he felt the comfortable warmth begin to trickle across his hand instead of the frigid ice water from before he stepped under the stream.

He was efficient in his shower, taking no more than five minutes to clean both himself and his hair of the grime he’d picked up through the day. As he stepped out, though, smelling faintly of the lavender in the generic shampoo he’d used, he still felt dirty. He still felt wrong, a significant discomfort having lodged itself in his chest and caused the sensation of bugs crawling across his skin. He shivered, willing away the feeling. It was probably just the nerves of the day having all caught up to him at once.

He grabbed a pastel green towel off of the rack by the door and scrubbed his hair, causing it to frizz every which way. He ran his hand through his hair afterwards in lieu of an actual comb to do so. Hux dried himself quickly and dressed in the pajamas’ Kylo had given him, the night’s chill beginning to creep in, causing Hux’s flesh to goose prickle. Though the shirt slipped low on his shoulders and the pants were just this side of too long the set was soft, the material clearly well-worn in. He was strangely thankful for it, before remembering that had he not been literally stolen earlier in the morning he would have had his own pair to wear.

When Hux exited the bathroom Kylo was gone. There was an indent in the middle of Kylo’s bed, but he was no-where to be found. Hux absently thought that perhaps this might be a moment he could make a break for it, thousands of dead-end solutions rifling through his brain. He was too far into this. He wouldn’t be able to leave – he might as well just meet Kylo’s mentor and get it over with.

Conceding his fate, Hux figured that he might as well get some sleep while under Kylo’s capture. He slipped into the bed by the broken window, crawling underneath the motel blankets. They were predictably scratchy and uncomfortable – as were the pillows – but certainly not the worst motel Hux had ever stayed the night in.

Though, Hux supposed, it was likely it was only going to get worse from here on.


	2. Chapter 2

He found himself drifting in and out of sleep that night, his mind riddled with half-seen nightmares. He caught only flashes of memory; greying copper hair, a stern look, a harsh voice. All not particularly pleasant images he’d known far too well, ones that set his heart racing and roiled nausea in his gut.  He’d just managed to doze off into a light sleep once in the earlier hours of the morning after waking in a cold sweat when he heard someone speaking to him.

“Hux.”

“Nnngh,” Hux groaned pressing his face back into his pillow.

“Hux, get up.”

Hux blinked his eyes open, the light streaming through the widows causing his eyes to sting. He rubbed at them absently, and then catching sight of a pair of legs shot up immediately. Kylo was standing over him, already dressed in a different pair of slacks from yesterday and a navy blue sweater. His brows were furrowed.

“What?” Hux asked, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “What?”

Kylo made his way back towards his bed, taking a pair of clothes off the bed and stuffing them into his bag. “The checkout time is soon, we need to be out of here in fifteen minutes,” Kylo said, “I’ll be waiting in the car.”

Hux breathed deeply through his nose. “Don’t you want to keep tabs on me?”

Kylo shook his head, slinging his duffle bag over his shoulder. “I don’t think I have to.”

“One day that very well might be your mistake.”

Kylo shrugged nonchalantly. “Maybe,” he agreed.

By the time Hux had thrown back the blankets and pressed his bare feet to the motels carpeted floor Kylo was already gone, having closed the door on his way out. Hux ran his hand over his face, feeling the beginnings of stubble creeping back over his jaw. He’d forgotten to shave yesterday, and it didn’t look like he’d have the time or meant to do so today either. He found he didn’t really care, it wasn’t as though anyone of significance was going to be around to see him.

Hux strolled to the end of the bed, picking up the clothes he’d left lying out the night before. He dreaded having to put on his clothes from the day before, but found that with no other choice he was going to have to. He wasn’t about to ask to borrow anything from Kylo. He cringed as he dressed, but found once his clothes were on his body it didn’t feel as terrible as he had anticipated.

It was only ten minutes before Hux was able to leave the motel room, locking the door behind him with the key Kylo had left for him on the nightstand. A strange act of trust from the man. Hux hoped he wasn’t this trusting usually. Kylo, true to his word, was waiting in the car with the engine on, the purr of the engine filling the otherwise quiet parking lot. Hux swung open the door to the passenger seat and sat down without a word.   

Kylo turned to look at him. He nibbled at his lower lip nervously. “We may have to take a detour.”

“Why?” Hux asked, looking pointedly at Kylo.

“Last night,” Kylo began, “When I was speaking with the Professor he gave me some instructions. There’s a girl not thirty miles from here who needs the Professor’s help.”

“Then should your Professor not attend to this himself?”

“He can’t, he’s bound to his place in Westchester for the time being. He asked me to go see her.”

Hux’s eyes met with Kylo’s. He huffed. “Do I have a choice in this matter at all or are you simply entertaining me with the illusion?”

“I was going to go whether you approved or not,” Kylo snapped, “I just wanted to give you a heads up.”

“Right,” Hux said simply, folding his hands across his chest and leaning back in his seat. He felt Kylo’s eyes stay on him for a moment before he heard Kylo sigh and begin to drive out of the parking lot.

The drive out was relatively peaceful, the traffic fairly quiet around the early time of morning. The sun was still hanging quite low in the sky, and the light illuminated the forestlands around them in haloed yellow. It was five minutes into the drive before either of them spoke again.

“Who is this girl, anyway?” Hux asked, genuinely curious. He wanted to know what hugely pressing matter was stalling the time it took to drive to Westchester.

“A mutant,” Kylo said, “But I don’t think she knows it yet.”

“What do you mean she doesn’t know?”

Kylo’s fingers tapped against the steering wheel. “She’s 11.”

“We’re going to see a child?!” Hux shouted. Kylo cringed at the volume in the enclosed car cabin.

“Yes,” Kylo said, “Most of the mutants the Professor helps are children only just coming into their powers.”

Hux’s brows furrowed. “What is her mutation?” He asked, “Just so I can be prepared.”

Kylo took a quick glance at him from the corner of his eye. “She’s not a threat, Hux.”

“All mutants have the potential to be a threat,” Hux snapped, “It would be wise to be prepared.”

Kylo heaved a heavy sigh. “The Professor told me she’s been growing a garden inside her house.”

“What?” Hux asked, “What does he mean by that?”

Kylo’s brows furrowed. “I’m not sure.” He paused for a moment. “I think I should see her alone.”

“What?!” Hux yelled, “Why?”

Kylo spun the steering wheel to turn into the dirt road on their left, a few stones clacking against the underside of the car. “For her safety,” he said, pulling up in front of an old looking home with a rusty windmill spinning lightly in the breeze by the door. Kylo immediately sprung out of the car, slamming the door behind him.  

Hux spluttered, fingers quickly fumbling for the latch on his own door. “Kylo, wait!” he said, bounding after the mutant. Kylo turned to look at him, his brows dipped low in disapproval.

“Hux, you really should stay in the car—“

“No,” Hux said, “No, I want to see this girl.”

Kylo paused for moment before throwing out his hands in surrender. “Fine,” he huffed, “But do not get in my way.”

Kylo walked onwards towards the front door of the quaint home, his footsteps crunching on the gravel path beneath them. Hux ignored Kylo’s tone, choosing not to rise to it, and instead followed Kylo silently. He could feel the pebbles below him feet digging through the soles of his shoes, the sharpness of some uncomfortable.

When they arrived at the front door Hux could hear someone yelling- a high voice, likely a woman’s. Her voice was shrill and terrified. He had a moment of panic where he considered allowing Kylo to deal with whatever was behind the door on his own before he quickly crushed the thought underfoot. He needed to see this. He needed to see firsthand what this mutant was capable of; he’d never seen a mutant so young before. He’d only ever been tasked to hunt adults.

Kylo knocked on the door in a quick three beats, his knuckles echoing against the heavy wood. There were the sound of footsteps and then the door swung open to reveal a woman in her thirties wearing a pale yellow dress. Her hair was in disarray and she didn’t appear to be wearing any cosmetics. There were heavy blue bags under her eyes, and her eyes were bloodshot. It seemed as if she hadn’t slept in a long time.

“Hello?” She asked, “Who are you?”

“My name is Kylo Ren, this is Armitage Hux. We’re here for your daughter.”

The woman’s knuckles grasped tighter to the front door. Her eyes flicked behind them. “Who- What—Who sent you?!”

“I know your daughter is a mutant, Mrs…” Kylo said, holding hand out, prompting her to tell him her name.

“Ward,” she said, “Elizabeth Ward. How do you know of my daughter’s… situation?”

“I’m a mutant too, Mrs. Ward. I was told by my mentor in Westchester that she needed some help.”

The women’s eyes widened slightly in shock. “I- I suppose she does,” Elizabeth sagged slightly, as if all the air was let out of her. “I certainly do. It’s not been easy around here since she started showing her… whatever it is she’s doing.”

Elizabeth stepped back, beaconing them inside. Kylo stepped in first, wiping his feet on the map before he did so. Hux followed in suit.

“Is he a mutant too?” Elizabeth asked Kylo, motioning to Hux.

Hux went to open his mouth but Kylo cut him off with a pointed look. “No, he’s not. He’s with the CIA.”

Elizabeth looked warry for a moment. Hux saw Kylo’s finger twitch at his side – he was reading her mind.

“I will keep an eye on him. Don’t worry Mrs. Ward, he won’t be a threat to your daughter,” Kylo said confidently, shooting Hux a passively murderous look that warned Hux that if he decided to go against Kylo’s statement he would face dire consequences. Hux resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Elizabeth continued onwards towards the house, leading them through a corridor. She went on ahead while Kylo and Hux strayed slightly behind. Hux leaned close to Kylo.   

“I can speak you know,“ Hux muttered, his voice only loud enough for Kylo to hear.

“I know you can,” Kylo smirked, “But she didn’t trust you; I can sense it. It’s better if you don’t.”

Kylo then jogged on ahead, catching up to Elizabeth.

“So, what’s been going on with your daughter exactly? My mentor was quite vague when he told me – he said she was growing a garden?” Kylo asked.

Elizabeth wrung her hands in front of her. “That’s an understatement. Whatever this thing is it lets her grow plants at a record speed. All she needs are the seeds. She’s been stealing them from my husband’s collection. Our living room is covered.”

Elizabeth rounded the corner, Kylo and Hux following closely. Hux’s eyes widened at the sight before them. The room, presumably the Wards’ living room, was coated in vines and brilliant blossoming flowers that twinkled every colour of the rainbow. There must have been some furniture in the room, but they were covered in a myriad of green that Hux couldn’t see past. The place smelled faintly of soil. In the middle of the tangle of vines sat a little girl dressed in a baby pink Pokka-dotted dress, her brown hair tied into two pigtails on her shoulders.

“Rosaline? Some men are here to see you,” Elizabeth said. Rosaline looked up and waved.

“Hi.”

Kylo’s eyes wandered across the room. “Did you do all this?”

Rosaline nodded, a smile bright on her face.

“It’s very impressive,” Kylo said, “Could you show me how you do it?”

Rosaline’s head titled slightly before righting. “Sure thing, Mister,” she said, pulling a seed from a packet in front of her.

She held the tiny seed in her hands and then closed her eyes. In a flash, the seed popped open, the beginnings of roots beginning to form. Within mere moments Rosaline sat with a fully formed plant in her hand, the flowering blossoms a beautiful violet. She placed it on the floor alongside several other blooms she had likely created.

“Incredible,” Hux muttered, finding that he was somewhat short of breath. The little girl’s mutation was unbelievable, and to see it in action was quite the breath-taking sight. It didn’t feel as though he was looking at a mutant using their powers, but rather a magician creating a magic trick.

Kylo hummed. “It is incredible,” he said to Hux. He turned to Rosaline. “I’ve never seen a mutation quite like yours before.”

Rosaline’s eyes widened. “There are other people like me?”

Kylo smiled. “Of course. Mutants are becoming more common every year.”

Rosaline’s face fell. “Mutant? But aren’t mutants dangerous? I hear daddy talking about some attack years ago all the time.”

She must be talking about the incident in Cuba. That certainly had been a turning point in how people viewed mutants. Brendol had been in Cuba when it had happened, and he talked about what he saw there often. It’s part of the reason Hux himself signed up as part of the CIA.

A look of sadness draped over Kylo’s face. “Some mutants are dangerous, yes, but they are a minority. Mutants are special, and it is up to us to use or powers for good or for bad.”

“Oh,” Rosaline blinked. “Then I want to use mine for good! Like a superhero!”

Kylo laughed, the sound friendly and warm and made Hux’s heart hurt. He’d not heard it before but the deep rumbling was a soothing sound, and Hux ached to hear it again. 

“That’s good,” Kylo said, a smile on his face.

“Are you a mutant, too, mister?” Rosaline asked.

Kylo nodded. He held out his hand and with it the plant Rosaline had created before began to float. Kylo’s fingers curled slightly, the plants spinning in the air along with the motion. Rosaline’s mouth was slack in wonderment. Hux found himself making a similar expression, his eyes glued to Kylo.

“Woah,” she said simply. “How did you do that?”

Kylo let down his hand, the plant falling back down to the ground. Kylo padded over to sit next to Rosaline, lowering his impressive height down to her level. Rosaline’s eyes held nothing but wonder, and she grinned as Kylo grinned at her. Kylo held out his hand, his fingers twitching slightly. Rosaline gasped aloud.

“Was that your voice?!” Rosaline shrieked, nothing but joy in her tone.

Kylo laughed. “Yes it was,” he said, “I can read minds too.”

Rosaline’s jaw was dangerously close to touching the ground. “That’s so cool!”

Kylo’s smile turned sheepish and he huffed a laugh. It made a warm, fluttering feeling bloom in Hux’s chest. Hux found himself smiling too. He paced a glace to Elizabeth at his side who was still eying him warily but there was something else in her eyes. Some understanding Hux didn’t know, some secret she was hiding. Her lips were ever so slightly curled into a knowing smile. Hux raised an eyebrow at her, and a scowl returned to her features. 

“It is pretty cool,” he said, “I go to a school specifically designed for people like us. How would you like to attend?”

Rosaline’s eyes widened significantly. She jumped up from her place on the floor, seeming to vibrate with excitement. She turned to Elizabeth. “Mommy, can I go?”

Elizabeth cleared her throat. She looked at Kylo. “Where is this school?”

“Westchester, New York.”

Elizabeth whistled. “That’s quite a long way away. I don’t know if I want her that far away from me.”

Kylo stood and took Elizabeth’s hand in his own, covering it with both his left and right hands. “She’ll be looked after, you have my word.”

Elizabeth was silent for a moment. “I suppose. I’ll have to run it by my husband, but I doubt he’ll say no.”

Kylo reached into his pocket, pulling out a small card. He handed it to Elizabeth. “This is the number for the Academy. Ask for Professor X, tell him Kylo Ren sent you. He’ll guide you through it.”

Elizabeth held the card tightly in her hand. “Thank you for this. I know she’ll be happy there.”

Kylo stayed for a few minutes more to talk to Elizabeth and Rosaline about the Academy, and to let Rosaline show off her mutation. The little girl seemed so happy when she didn’t it, she wasn’t scared or angry or… anything like that. Hux found himself in a state of wonder. He’d never seen a mutant (perhaps besides Kylo) use their power without a negative connotation behind it. The mutants he hunted were always trying to kill him and the mutants that made it to the newspapers were always trying to kill someone  _else._  Rosaline face always lit up in a shine of glee, as if her mutation was a brand new toy.

Hux found his mind wandering. Was this what the academy Kylo spoke of was like? Mutants able to show off their skills, able to be happy, to be free? To live in freedom without fear of judgement? There were so many questions running through his mind, all of them redundant and on the precipice of being able to compromise his job at the CIA. He hunted mutants for a living. He couldn’t sympathise with them. He wasn’t allowed to see mutants as people.

“If you keep frowning like that your face will be stuck like that forever.”

Hux blinked, breaking out of his haze. Kylo had said that, and he was standing right in front of him now, looking at him with an air of concern.

“We should get going,” Kylo said.

Hux nodded, his mind still racing.

Kylo’s brows furrowed. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, of course I am.”

Kylo didn’t press further, instead passed him to turn down the corridor towards the front door. They thanked Elizabeth for her time, and Kylo said goodbye to Rosaline, promising that he would see her at the Academy, and then they were off. The two returned to Kylo’s car and drove onwards.

Hux simply listened to the white noise of the engine and watched the trees pass by the window, allowing the silence between the two of them to take a comfortable note. Kylo didn’t press it for several minutes. It wasn’t until they passed the border into North Dakota that Kylo spoke.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

Hux considered the statement for a moment, but his stomach rumbling answered for him. He very rapidly remembered he hadn’t eaten breakfast and it was very quickly reaching around three in the afternoon. “Starving.”

“There’s a little diner around here I know,” Kylo said, “They make fantastic sandwiches.”

Hux didn’t answer, only nodded in agreement. He let his head fall against the window of the passenger seat, the glass cool against his skin. Kylo cast him a worried look, but said nothing.

It was perhaps only ten minutes later when Kylo pulled into a small carpark in front of a quaint diner with a plastic hotdog attached to the top of the roof. The lettering of the place was unreadable, the paint scratched away by time. The windows were tinted so Hux couldn’t see what lay within, but judging by the general weathered look of the place he wasn’t going to get his hopes up.

His attention was drawn away from the diner by the jingle of Kylo taking his keys out of the ignition. He leaned back on his chair and shoved them into his front pocket. Hux looked on as if in a daze, like Kylo wasn’t quite real. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he didn’t like it. Something about watching Kylo interact with little Rosaline had thrown him for a loop and he couldn’t put his finger on exactly why. There’d been a heaviness in his chest since they’d left and he’d very much like that to go away.

A chill ran through Hux as they left the warmth of the car but with the sun shining ahead he was infinitely confused about the sudden drop in temperature. The pair made their way into the diner, Kylo taking the lead and Hux following closely along behind.

As Kylo opened the front door to the diner Hux was assaulted with the delicious smell of food. He could catch the aroma on onion and garlic on his tongue, and could practically taste the cooking meat in the air. His mouth watered and his stomach began once again to make itself known.

Kylo led him to a booth in a quiet corner of the diner. There were very few people in the place, most of the noise made up by the soft hum of the jukebox and the clatter of cutlery from behind the counter. The place held an aura of peacefulness to it, but also a strange underlying current of eeriness, as most diners in the middle of nowhere tended to.

There were a pair of menu’s already on the table and Kylo handed one to him without a word, not looking up from his own menu. Hux took it cautiously and read through the list of dishes. When the waiter came over to collect their order Kylo ordered a grilled chicken sub and a coffee with sugar and cream. Hux ordered a cold turkey sub and a black coffee. As they waited, Kylo drummed his fingers against the table the thump-thump-thump of them giving Hux a headache. He rubbed at his temples.

“Would you stop that?” Hux snapped, perhaps harsher than he should have been.

“Stop what?” Kylo asked, continuing to drum against the table.

Hux brought his hand down to gesture at Kylo’s fingers. “That.”

Kylo’s eyes followed Hux’s hand, and he quickly pulled his hands of the table and stuffed them into his lap. He looked outside the window instead. Hux felt his skin begin to prickle in the cold room of the diner, but Kylo didn’t seem to be effected.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kylo asked again, his brows dipped low. His concern made Hux’s hackles rise.

“Fine,” he said through gritted teeth, “Like I said earlier. I’m fine.”

Kylo threw up his hands in surrender, not seeming to want to press the issue. Hux could feel a tension headache growing heavier in his temples. He clenched his teeth against the pain, pitching the bridge of his nose.

The waiter brought over their meals and set them down in front of them. Kylo dug into his sandwich immediately, the vinegary sauce drippling down the side of his hands. As he took a bite he groaned in absolute bliss, a noise that had Hux’s heart skip a beat. Kylo ate like no one was watching him, all big bites and loud chewing. Hux couldn’t quite find his usual energy to be disgusted and instead turned to his own sandwich.

As he took a bite he immediately understood why Kylo had made such a sound. The bread was wonderfully soft, the lettuce crisp, the mayo deliciously tangy and the turkey blissfully moist. He held back a sound of his own, not wanting to bring any attention to himself. He did, however, smile to himself.

“I told you the sandwiches were good here,” Kylo said, a smile mirrored in his own face. Kylo licked his lips, clearing them of runaway dressing. Hux found his eyes following the movement.

“You were right,” Hux replied, swallowing another bite.

Hux looked to his coffee to take a sip expecting the bitter liquid to be warm enough to chase away the chill that had overtaken him. Instead of warm, steaming coffee, however, he found it to be stone cold sludge. He coughed at the sensation.

“Coffee could be better,” he grumbled.

“Maybe don’t order a black coffee next time?” Kylo quipped, taking a sip of his own steaming, sickly sweet coffee.

Hux shook his head. “No, it’s stone cold.”

“Oh,” Kylo said, “Strange. Mine’s warm.”

“I can see that,” Hux scoffed.

Kylo reached across the table, his fingers coming to touch the coffee mug Hux still had in his hand. Their hands knocked for a moment, the contrast between the coolness of the mug and the overwhelming heat of Kylo’s fingers sending a jolt through Hux. He felt his eyes widen slightly, but quickly regained his control. Kylo pulled back from their touch like he’d been burned.

“Your fingers are freezing!” Kylo exclaimed, gesturing wildly, “I’m surprised they haven’t turned blue!”

Hux waved a hand nonchalantly. “Poor circulation. I inherited it from my father.”

Kylo exhaled quickly, his breath making a small whistle as he did. “Your father must just be solid ice by now.”

Hux snorted, the sound terribly undignified. “Brendol Hux is a cold man, but I wouldn’t quite go so far as to say that.”

Kylo barked a laugh in return, and then returned to his lunch. For several moments the only sounds were the sound of their sandwiches swiftly disappearing. Hux paused momentarily to look at his coffee and then pushed it aside, mild frustration evident in the movement.

Kylo paused for a moment, his eyes returning to Hux’s cold coffee. “Ask for another one.”

Hux hummed, tapping his fingers against the white ceramic of the mug. He shook his head. “I wasn’t that invested in it anyway.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

Hux gave him a dirty look. “Will you stop asking that? Of course I am!” he snapped.

Kylo returned his pointed stare. “You’re not acting like yourself.”

“Like myself?” Hux scoffed. “You barely know who I am!”

Kylo’s eyes narrowed and he leaned forward with his arms on the table. “I’ve been inside your head. I know you more intimately than anyone ever has or ever will.”

Hux felt a vague sense of disgust wash over him. He shivered at the sensation. “I thought you promised to stay out.”

“I have been,” Kylo said, “But that does not negate the moments I spent inside your head when we first met.”

Hux huffed, leaning back against the diner booth chair and crossing his arms. There was a sneer on his face. “Tell me something about myself I’ve never told anyone then,” he said, cockiness creeping into his voice, “And don’t start rummaging around now – I know what your mutation feels like.”

Kylo stalled for a moment in deep thought. His eyes slipped closed in concentration, and his fingers gripped lightly at the edge of the table.

“You wish your father would contact you more often,” Kylo said, “Near constantly.”

“Of course I do, Brendol is a significant figure in my life—“

“No,” Kylo said, cutting him off, “You want it because you think that if he does enough then one day he might be proud of you.”

There was a thickness in Hux’s throat. “I—it’s not, my father’s opinion is not important to me.”

“You’re lying,” Kylo said quickly, “I can feel it on you.”

“I know my own worth, I don’t need his confirmation of it,” Hux said defensively, feeling a headache coming on.

“And yet your voice is shaking.”

Hux resisted the urge to pound his fist into the table, not wanting to make a scene. The waitress from before was already shotting them worried passing glances.

“Fine,” Hux said through gritted teeth, “I do wish that sometimes. Happy?”

Kylo hummed. “I suppose.” He took a cursory look to the window by his side before his eyes returned to Hux’s. “Though there is something else there. Something I can’t put my finger on.”

“What else do you want me to say—“ Hux began.

Kylo held up a hand. “No, no, I suspect you don’t know what it is either. I could feel it, when I was in your mind, there was something there you’d locked away. Some secret that’d been beaten into submission. Something even you wouldn’t be able to tell me.”

Hux swallowed thickly. “Then how would you know?”

Kylo looked to his sandwich and took a bite, thinking as he chewed. He swallowed, then waited a few moments before speaking. “I’d have to dig inside your head.”

“I don’t want you to do that,” Hux said quickly.

“No,” Kylo said, “I suspect you wouldn’t.”

“Is it,” Hux started before pausing, “Is it, did it feel important?”

Kylo shook his head. “That’s not something I would be able to tell you.”

“Then perhaps it’s best that it remains to be something I don’t know. I must have forgotten it for a reason.”

Kylo hummed once more, his finger tapping subconsciously against his skin. “Perhaps,” he agreed, returning to his sandwich.

Hux watched Kylo continue to wolf down his meal, feeling rather queasy himself. There was a roiling feeling in his gut, and a light thrumming ache pounding behind his eyes. He pinched at the bridge of his nose. He picked at his meal, not feeling particularly inclined to eat it anymore even if it was absolutely delightful. Perhaps it was for the best his coffee was stone cold now – it gave him an excuse not to drink it. He didn’t think his stomach could handle the thickness of black coffee in its current state.

“Kylo,” Hux started, not particularly knowing why.

Kylo looked up from his sandwich, his mouth still full. He cocked an eyebrow as a way to tell Hux that he was listening.

“What’s it like at this Academy?”

Kylo’s brows dipped in confusion. “Why the sudden interest?”

Hux thought for a moment. He couldn’t quite think of why he was interested, but then was a pull in his heart that told him to ask. He mentally scoffed at himself. Conversations begun on compulsion had never ended well for him before.

“I figure that if we’re to be spending a significant amount of time together I might as well know something about you,” Hux said, “And it sounds as though that Academy is significant to you.”

“It is,” Kylo agreed, “What did you want to know about it in particular?”

“Anything,” Hux said, “Anything.”

Kylo’s eyes flicked to the side before coming to meet Hux’s own. Hux nearly shuddered under his piercing gaze.

“It’s,” Kylo said, then stopped to think, “It’s home I suppose.”

“Are there a lot of,”  _Mutants_ , Hux wanted to say but couldn’t bring himself to say the word, “People with your abilities there?”

“People with my specific abilities – no,” Kylo said, “There are a lot of mutants, though.”

“And is that,” Hux paused, cringing at how put-on this all sounded, “nice? Being around so many people like you?”

Kylo’s eyes took on a soft gaze. “Of course it is.”  

“Oh,” Hux replied simply, letting his gaze fall back to his half eaten sandwich. He was at somewhat of a loss for words, all of the things he wanted to say falling flat on his tongue. He stared down, glaring at the remains of his sandwich as if it had personally caused him a great pain.  

There was a few moments of pregnant, uncomfortable silence before Kylo spoke again.

“We should head out.”

Hux nodded his head in agreement. “It’s starting to get dark out.”

Kylo began to untangle himself from the dining room chair, his leg getting hooked on the table leg on his way out. He stumbled, but steadied himself quickly. He reached into his wallet to pull out the appropriate charge for their meals, placing enough down to cover both his order and Hux’s. It was then that Hux suddenly realised that he had left his wallet on his desk back at the office. He was travelling with any currency of his own and without any identification. He reached into his pockets to check, and came back unsurprised when he found nothing inside.

When he looked back from his pockets Kylo was already halfway out the door. Hux jogged to catch up with him, his footsteps thumping against the diner’s floor. As he exited the diner he was greeted by a crisp breath of wind against his face. It ruffled his hair, which he also realised was not in its usual style.

Kylo was already waiting with the engine on when Hux caught up. The back tailpipe was spewing grey smoke. Hux tapped on Kylo’s driver side window, beaconing him to wind it down. Kylo rolled him eyes, but spun the lever to open the window anyway.

“Has it always done that?” Hux asked, having to yell over the roar of the engine.

“What?” He said shortly, his voice loud over the engine.

“Has your car always billowed smoke like that?” Hux asked again, gesturing vaguely to the back of the car. Kylo’s eyes widened in recognition.

“Oh,” he said, “Yeah it has.”

“You should really get that fixed,” Hux scolded.

“The car still works,” Kylo quipped, winding the window up before Hux could get another word in. Hux huffed heavily and stalked around to the passenger side door, throwing it open.

“It won’t for long if it keeps doing that,” Hux said, crawling into the passenger seat. All he received was another barely hidden eye-roll from Kylo as he pressed him foot onto the accelerator and drove them out of the parking lot.

As they drove Hux realised that they had barely seen any other drivers on the roads though whether that was simply the nature of country roads or something else Hux couldn’t tell. He didn’t exactly frequent country North Dakota, most of his work was done within either Seattle or Washington State. He very rarely had to go far for his work as most of it was done in his office in the form of mountains and mountains of paperwork. Kylo had been one of his first field missions in months. Hux had to resist the urge to laugh aloud, figuring it would probably disturb Kylo somewhat.  _Look how that mission turned out._

Time seemed to pass strangely within the confines of the cars cabin and it seemed as though the forestland would continue onwards forever and ever, into eternity and beyond whatever lay further. Hux felt as though he’d been trapped in a time loop, being forced to replay the same sights in a continuous pattern. The only thing that broke up the monotony was the occasional drive-through town, ones with only two or three houses and something that could barely pass as a local restaurant or deli. Sometimes there were only houses, with empty land far beyond what the eye could see.

The sunset glowed a beautiful pink in the interior of the car, the red vinyl illuminated by the light. Hux stole a glance at Kylo, seeing that the starkness his dark hair had become softened by the rosy tint. Kylo had a slight smile on his face, and he tapped the steering wheel along to some unknown rhythm clearly only Kylo could hear. Hux, for a moment, wished that he had Kylo’s mutation so that he might be able to hear the same tune, before chasing away that thought quickly. He did not want to be a mutant; that was not a life fate had chosen for him. Kylo began to sway his head back and forth, just slightly, the moment so small that you could blink and easily miss it. Hux couldn’t find it in himself to look away. He was completely enraptured by the sight.  _Even lovelier than the sunset,_  his mind said, the voice distant and faraway. That thought he quickly forced away, the connotation behind it far too complicated for his weary mind to handle.

Hux was broken out of his riviere by the jerking sensation of the car slowing down. He took a glace outside of the window, seeing a small building by the side of the rode. The outside wall was bricked, the colouring a worn dusty red. The sign on it was weathered, and he couldn’t quite read what it said at the distance he was at. He squinted as they got closer.  _Valley Inn._

Kylo turned the car so that the left side wheels bumped up onto the curb. Hux was jolted momentarily but the sudden hike in height, and he scrambled to catch himself on the dashboard. He pretended not to see the amused smirk on Kylo’s face.

They said nothing as Kylo jumped from the car, stopping to grab his duffel bag from the back of the car. He slung it over his shoulder and bounded up back onto the curb, the zipper on the bag jingling as he did so.

The pair made their way into the motel, the interior much the same as it was at Eli’s. Hux briefly wondered if there was a single motel they were going to stop at that might have been built in the last twenty years. It seemed as though this building sagged under the weight of its time, the wallpaper falling away like leaves from an autumn tree. Their room was much the same, the décor outdated and old.

Hux made his way over towards the bed closest to the window, allowing Kylo to take the bed closest to the door. He let his fingers run over the duvet experimentally, finding it to be much nicer than those at Eli’s had been. He then meandered over to the window, testing to see if the panel would lift here.

To his surprise, the window pane lifted with only some minor effort, the old wood creaking under his pressure. He clicked the lock into place to hold the pane up, and held his face close the opening. He felt a cool evening breeze whistle past the window, the chill of winter still not quite yet having dissipated and the warmth of summer a distant wish. He breathed in deeply, not minding the harsh wind; he enjoyed the cold. It was familiar.

Hux distantly heard Kylo say something, but he wasn’t listening and missed the precise words.

“What?” He asked, spinning to lean against the open window. Kylo looked up from where he was unpacking some things from his duffle bag, the items thrown rather haphazardly across the bed.

“I said there’s a kitchen downstairs. I’m going to go down there,” Kylo clarified, “Would you like me to get something for you?”     

“Oh,” Hux said. He still didn’t quite have an appetite, but he thought he sound probably eat something anyway. “I suppose so.”

Kylo nodded in acknowledgement, throwing one last shirt onto the bed, zipping the bag and dumping it heavily by the foot of the bed. He then turned to leave, making it halfway out the door before he quickly spun to look over his shoulder.

“Any preferences?” Kylo asked.

Hux shrugged in response. “Not particularly. Whatever you can find will do.”

Kylo jerked his head in a quick nod, and then left, the room becoming significantly less full without Kylo’s presence in it.

That was something Hux had noticed. Kylo seemed to take up the entire space in a room when he was within it. It felt as though he was in every corner, in every crack and crevice. Probably due to something to do with his mutation there was heaviness to a room whenever Kylo was in it, and having just spent several hours within its thick cloak coating him it was easy to notice when he was gone. It felt… wrong. Wrong for Kylo not to be in the room with him. He shook his head, lightly berating himself. What was with him today?

Hux sat heavily on the bed, trying to calm his rapidly spiralling nerves. He breathed deeply, the smell of pine wafting through the outside window and filling his nostrils. He sat like that for a significant amount of time, so long that he couldn’t conclusively say exactly for how long. It was nice to be able to stop for a moment. The last few days had been such a rush, such a blur, that it was a comfort to be able to take a moment just to breathe. To stop and take in the world around him. Their locations were changing so quickly, and he found himself losing track of time when Kylo was driving. He didn’t have to think when he was in the passenger seat, and he found that he drifted an awful lot, just letting the location change without him doing anything do so.

Hux’s attention was caught by the sound of the door opening. Kylo was there, trying to push open the door with both his shoulder and his foot, and really succeeding at neither. He held two bowls in one arm, the meal inside them steaming. In his other he had half a load of sliced bread. He looked as though he might topple over at any second. Hux leapt up to get the door for him.

“Thanks,” Kylo said through a sigh of relief. He shoved his shoulder towards Hux, the arm with the bowls now thrust towards him. Hux could see inside, and he saw a creamy broth within, vegetables floating serenely in the steaming liquid. “I got soup.”

“I can see that,” Hux said, taking one of the bowls from Kylo. It was warm in his hands, and he felt a rush of comfort blanket him. He told himself it was the soup doing that, not the man giving it to him. “Thank you.”

Hux took a cursory glance around the room. “There’s no table in here.”

“Clever deduction, Sherlock,” Kylo quipped, his voice light and fun-spirited. Hux gave him a truly disappointed look.

Hux watched in what was slightly horror as Kylo made his way to sit on his bed, his soup sloshing precariously in his arms. Kylo folded himself into a cross-legged position, and then placed the bowl in his lap and the loaf of bread by his side.

“Are you going to eat on the bed?!” Hux yelled, his eyes wide in horror.

Kylo gave him a strange look. “Yes?”

“You’ll get crumbs everywhere!”

Kylo shrugged. “So?”

Hux nearly chocked. “So?” he yelped, “So?!”

Kylo’s eyebrows dipped, though there was a hint of mirth in his eyes. “Yes, so what? I can always brush the crumbs off.”

Hux’s horror was increasing by the minute. If it got any higher he thought he might actually have a heart attack. He spluttered, but couldn’t find it in himself to make any actual words exit his mouth.

“You can come sit next to me if you don’t want crumbs on your bed,” Kylo offered, patting the space next to him.

Hux hesitated for a moment, considering his options. He really only had two – either join Kylo or go to his own bed and get crumbs all over that one too. The choice was easy.

“Fine,” Hux huffed, stalking over to sit next to Kylo. He let his legs hang off the edge of the bed. He wasn’t about to put his dirty shoes all over the duvet as well. Kylo scooted forward so that his shoulders were level with Hux’s, the break creaking slightly as he did so.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they sipped at their soups. It was a pea and ham soup, with perhaps just this side of too much pepper in it, but Hux couldn’t find it in himself to particularly care. It was warm, and filled his stomach comfortably, so he could deal with the chef being perhaps a little bit too liberal with their seasoning.

Hux acutely felt the brush of Kylo’s shoulder against his own as Kylo silently handed him a slice of bread. He let the slightly stale bread soak in the warmth of the soup to soften before bringing the sopping piece to his mouth. He’d perhaps left the bread in for slightly too long, the result was now that the soup had dripped not only all over his chin but onto the bed as well. He’d just narrowly missed his pants.

“Damn it,” He muttered, wiping at the stains on the bed with his finger. He looked around for somewhere to wipe his finger, but finding nowhere he stuck it instead in his mouth, cringing as he did so. He wiped clumsily at his chin, feeling several wet spots against his skin.

Hux glanced to the sided, seeing that Kylo’s eyes were on him, his gaze piercing. “What?” Hux asked.

“You’ve got,” Kylo gestured vaguely to his mouth, “still on your chin.”

“Oh. Thank you,” Hux said, wiping at his chin once again, though his hand came back dry.

“No, you missed,” Kylo tutted, “There,” he said, pointing once again vaguely in the direction of his own face.

Hux wiped at his chin, shifting his aim slightly to the right, attempting to mirror the spot Kylo was pointing to. Kylo still looked at him, a slight frustration apparent in the dip of his brows.

“Still missing,” Kylo said, “Look, come here.”

Kylo shifted so that he was more easily facing towards Hux, leaning forward slightly on his right leg. He reached across, his hand moving towards Hux’s jaw. Hux watched his finger move, going slightly cross-eyed as he tried to follow it to where it found its place on Hux’s chin. Hux’s eyes flicked back to Kylo’s, who was looking intently at the soup spots on Hux’s skin. Kylo’s fingers were warm, and as his thumb swiped across his skin Hux heard himself inhale a small, barely there gasp. He felt heat rising to his face at the sound, praying that Kylo hadn’t heard it or hadn’t been paying attention. Kylo’s eyes moved upwards, finding Hux’s own.

When Kylo pulled away he showed no real indication of having heard Hux’s rather embarrassing noise, nor did he make a comment on the redness of Hux’s face. Hux was ever thankful for both of these things, and was also silently thankful that Kylo had seemed to have kept his promise to keep out of his mind. As Kylo turned away to look back at his bowl, though, Hux could swear he saw a hint of pink from beneath the waves of Kylo’s hair, but, much like Kylo, decided not to comment on this either, mutually saving each other tremendous embarrassment.

They were silent as they continued through their meals, both stubbornly refusing to be the first to look at the other. Soon, their bowls were empty and their stomachs full, and they came to somewhat of an impasse.

Kylo was the first to draw attention to himself, clearing his throat quietly. “We should,” he started, “We should probably turn in for the night.”

Hux nodded. “Probably.”

There was a beat of silence.

“You’ll need to hop up off the bed, though,” Kylo said.

Hux jolted in to action, swinging himself of the bed with a speed he probably really should have contained. He moved to his own bed, wanting both to be as close to and as far away from Kylo as was humanly possible. The dissonance was dizzying. He placed his empty bowl on the shared nightstand between the beds with a clank, Kylo swiftly placing his own inside it, the ceramic clacking together with a sharp noise.

Kylo hopped off the bed with a quick motion. “I’m going to see if their shower works.”

Hux nodded, but otherwise said nothing. Kylo took that as his answer, and padded into the ensuite bathroom, flicking the light on, the harsh yellow light blinding in the now still darkness of the room. Hux squinted at the onslaught of light, but then relaxed when Kylo shut the door behind him.

He breathed a heavy breath, dragging a hand down his face and grabbing the set of pajamas Kylo had let him wear the night before. He quickly changed from his clothes into the soft pajamas, hearing the water start to run as he did so.

Hux walked to the window to close it, and then his bed, slipping under the blankets. They were softer than the one’s at Eli’s - though from the near lacerations he’d gotten from the roughness of those the spines of a porcupine would have been softer than Eli’s. Hux let his eyes slip closed, listening to the sound of the world around him. He barely could hear more than his breathing and the sound of running water, the droplets splattering against tile. Hux shifted, lying on his side to face his back to the window.

It was some time before the running water stopped, and by then Hux was nearing the precipice of sleep, the comforting darkness threatening to consume him. He was broken from that moment with light once again filling his retinas. He opened his eyes, squinting into the light.

He saw Kylo leave the bathroom, fumbling around on his bed for his clothes. He was only wrapped in a towel around his waist, his hair half dry from the towel but still dripping along Kylo’s shoulders. In the soft yellow light Hux may have mistaken Kylo for a Greek statue, made of marble and otherworldly. Hux did not get to observe for long, and Kylo grabbed his clothes quickly and retreated back into the bathroom. Who knew his engulfing sweaters hid that beneath them.

Hux closed his eyes quickly before Kylo exited fully dressed once again, evening out his breathe to seem as though he was asleep. He heard Kylo’s footsteps padding against the ground, and then the rustle of sheets from across the side of the room.  Quickly, the room fell silent; the only sounds the combined puff of their breathing, Kylo’s slightly louder and heavier than Hux’s own.

That night Hux dreamed of a man, a man who in another universe may have looked like Kylo. He couldn’t tell, his sleeping thoughts muddled and disorientated but he saw flashes of dark hair and sweet brown eyes everywhere he turned. He awoke several times during the night, the imagine of the man haunting his every sleeping moment, the jolt of his closeness always succeeding in waking Hux up. Every time he awoke, he glanced towards the other bed, seeing the real, flesh and blood Kylo sleeping soundly. It was a little infuriating. How dare Kylo sleep so soundly while he was plagued with these visions? Clearly this must be some sort of mutant trickery, Kylo using his powers for ill. Maybe he’d gotten to complacent, let Kylo slip back into his mind to fiddle around without his notice? He felt a rush of disgust wash over him at that thought.

He awoke the next morning before sun the sun had begun to peak over the hills bewildered, furious and with a rather pressing issue to attend to downstairs. Hux heaved a heavy breath, staring blankly at the ceiling. How inconvenient.  Hux lay stock still for a moment, willing away his problem, but with to no avail. The hardness between his legs was adamant on remaining a problem until he took care of it.

Hux slowly crept from his bed into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. As he did he caught a glimpse of Kylo sleeping soundly in the bed closest to the door and he had to huff a sigh. He turned to turn on the shower, and then quickly divested himself of his - or rather, still Kylo’s - clothes.

The water pounded against the titles as he turned the tap and he stepped in, letting the warm water run along his skin. He looked down, cursing his cock standing at attention. Kylo  _must_  have done something to him while he slept. Mutant’s weren’t to be trusted with that sort of thing. He distantly realised that was incredibly unlikely, but he so desperately wanted it to be Kylo’s fault.

Hux huffed. Even if it was caused by Kylo’s power he was still going to have to be the one to take care of it. He took himself in hand, and began to stroke slowly back and forth. He let out a gasp at the first touch, and found his breath quickening as he stroked faster.

 His mind wandered to Kylo, to the little scene he’d seen the night before. He groaned thinking of the water dripping from Kylo’s hair sensually down his chest, the way the towel on his hips had seemed to cling on for dear life – one slip and he’d be exposed. Hux’s mouth watered at the thought of what lay beneath. He let his mind water, his mind conjuring beautifully tantalising imagery.  

In what seemed like only mere minutes Hux was pressed to push himself over the precipice, stroking faster and faster, the sound of skin on skin and his weak moans covered by the loud crashing of the water. He found himself wandering to the thought of Kylo on his knees, those wonderful red lips so wonderfully plush and inviting. How Kylo would stare up at him with his pupils blown, a gorgeous blush across his cheeks. Hux whimpered at the thought, finally reaching his peak and spilling himself into his hand with a needy moan.

Hux heaved a breath, pressing down the urge to pound his fist against the shower wall tilling in fury. He watched as his seed swirled gently down the drain, erasing everything but his memory. Hux wiped a frustrated hand down his face, feeling water drip onto it from his damped hair. The water continued to pound against his back, overheating his already warmed body.

 _Damn it,_  he immediately thought to himself,  _damn it._  Of course he’d fall for a mutant, of course he would. The one thing he should never have done his mind went ahead and did anyway, like a troublesome child that only seemed to do exactly the opposite of what you commanded it to do. He felt both a sickness in his gut and a strange heaviness in his heart at the thought of Kylo. It was a dizzying combination, and he leaned against the wall to will the rising nausea away.

 _Mutants are dangerous,_  his father’s voice whispered in his head,  _mutants are dangerous._  It was the thing his father believed most in the world. That mutants were a danger and a plague society needed to be rid of. Brendol had been at the incident at Cuba, he’d had firsthand experience. Hux had lived under his father’s ideals so long he vehemently had believed they were a danger too – he’d even joined the CIA to hunt them he had believed so strongly. But… but then he’d seen Rosaline, the sweet little girl with the pigtails who could create  _life_ , and he’d met Kylo. Kylo who, despite technically being his kidnapper, had never (that Hux could actually _prove_ ) used his mutation for ill against Hux. Rosaline wasn’t dangerous, Kylo wasn’t dangerous, they were just people. Mutants were people. That was a fact Hux had so long forgotten. His head spun at the revelation, the sudden onslaught of realisation dizzying. 

Hux pushed himself from the wall, fiddling with the taps against the wall to turn off the shower. The handle spun with some effort, clearly the grime built up behind it hindering his movement. He pulled back the curtain and carefully stepped out onto the mat, stretching to grab a towel off of the rack, dragging it across his chest. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of the way of his eyes, the strands intent on obscuring his vision. He finished drying his skin, and moved to dry his hair, scrubbing the cloth furiously over his head - as if he could physically scrape off the overwhelming feelings he felt.

He turned to look into the mirror, using the edge of the towel to wipe away at the condensation that had fogged over the glass. He looked in, and his reflection stared back at him. He still held a tint of purple under his eyes, and his facial hair was beginning to grow into something more visible and beginning to itch. He could see a hint of flush across his cheeks, more than he knew something as simple as a shower would have given him, though figured that if Kylo were to burst in at this very moment and look at him he would likely think none the wiser.

That is, of course, if Kylo didn’t look into his mind. Hux was still somewhat sceptical on Kylo’s claim that he’d stayed out of Hux’s mind since he’d commanded him to when they’d first met, but didn’t really have any concrete evidence to say that he’d gone  _against_ the claim. Hux knew what Kylo dipping into his mind felt like – a light scrapping sensation at his temples – and he’d not felt that yet. He believed Kylo, for now, but knew that he needed to stay vigilant in case Kylo tried to take an underhanded look. Just the thought of Kylo seeing the inner workings of his mind was enough to make him shudder. He dressed quickly, cringing at having to put on what were now three day old clothes again. He didn’t smell terrible yet, but he knew he could only press it for so long.

When Hux exited the bathroom Kylo was sitting up, blinking sleep from his eyes. He rubbed his fists against them, attempting to regain some of his vision. He looked to Hux, the noise of the door catching his attention. He blinked, his glaze still glazed with sleep.

“What time is it?” Kylo asked, his voice even deeper and rougher than usual. It made Hux weak in the knees.

Hux stole a glance at the watch on his arm. “Six fifteen.”

Kylo groaned, brushing the birds-nest that was his hair away from his face with a clumsy hand.  “Why are you up so early? The sun’s barely out.”

Hux shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Kylo hummed in acknowledgement, looking as if he might fall back onto his pillow at any second. Hux vaguely felt the heavy press of Kylo’s power extending, but ignored it, feeling his mind remain free from its rough touch. Kylo’s eyebrows were furrowed for a moment, before he inhaled sharply, his eyes widening significantly.

“We have to leave,” Kylo snapped, leaping out of bed. He swayed somewhat, but quickly collected himself. He grabbed a pair of pants, pulling them quickly over his boxers.

“What?” Hux said, completely lost.

Kylo didn’t answer, only tore off his shirt to replace it from another plain white one from his duffle bag. Hux tried to not let his eyes wander downwards, but found them doing so anyway. He shook his head. Now was not the time to be ogling Kylo.

“Kylo!” Hux snapped, attempting to catch Kylo’s attention. Kylo looked at him quickly, his features scrunched in anger.

“Do I have to explain everything?!” Kylo snapped, “There’s a group of men in the lobby. They want to kill me.”

“What-- why?”

Kylo huffed. “I don’t know, I only caught their minds for a moment, but their intents were murderous.”

“You mean you can’t look again?” Hux asked.

“No,” Kylo replied, “Something’s blocking me.”

Kylo zipped up his duffle and threw it over his shoulder. He then grabbed the keys from the nightstand, leaving their dirty bowls from last night before. He jogged towards the door, throwing it open and sticking his head out.

“Come on!” Kylo commanded, holding the door open so Hux could get through. Hux obeyed silently, slipping past Kylo and out onto the corridor. He turned to Kylo, seeing that he had his hand outstretched and his eyes were closed.

Kylo’s eyes flicked open. “There’s a fire exit at the end of this hallway,” Kylo said, closing the door quietly and turning towards the farthest end of the corridor. “Quickly,” he snapped, beaconing Hux over.

Hux’s heart was pounding fiercely in his chest. He hated this. He didn’t know what was going on and he didn’t like it. All he could do was blindly follow Kylo, trusting that his mutation was actually picking up a real threat rather than an imagined one. Hux briefly thought it might have been CIA that had got Kylo so riled up, but didn’t want to stick around in case it wasn’t.

Kylo shoved him through the fire exit’s door, following through himself. He pulled the door closed quickly, and then grabbed blindly for Hux’s hand. He found it, and grasped his fingers around Hux’s wrist, dragging him along behind. The pull of Kylo’s palm against his skin stung.

“Kylo!” Hux hissed.

Kylo gave him a pointed look, but did not stop. “What?!” he snapped.

Hux tugged at the grip on his wrist. “That hurts!”

“It’ll hurt more if they kill you,” Kylo snapped, tightening his grip.

Hux went to reply but was cut off by them reaching Kylo’s car, Kylo yanking open the door to the passenger seat and throwing Hux roughly down onto the seat before rounding the vehicle to enter the driver’s side. He fumbled with his keys, his hands shaking and making it difficult to do so. He eventually succeeded, barely waiting for the engine to roar to life before pressing the accelerator and speeding off, the tires making a horrid screeching sound as he did so.

Hux resisted the urge to grip onto the dashboard as Kylo sped the car away, going faster than any human being should reasonably drive along a country road. Hux was silent for several minutes, waiting until Kylo began to slow down before speaking.

“What did you mean back there?” Hux asked.

Kylo didn’t look away from the road. “What do you mean?”

“When you said they’d kill me,” Hux clarified, “What did you mean?”

“I,” Kylo started, “It’s a long story.”

Hux took a glace outside of the car. “We have a long time.”

Kylo’s fingers began to tap against the steering wheel in an offbeat rhythm - though this beat bled nervousness rather than the product of a song escaping Kylo’s head. “I’m not sure. I only was able to catch a very small glimpse into their minds before I was blocked, but I think they were bounty hunters.”

“You have a bounty on you?!” Hux asked.

“Uh, personally - not that I know of,” Kylo said, “But I know they’re specifically looking for mutants. I’ve seen their like before. I’m sure they’re connected to Thrask in some way.”

“Why would Thrask hire a bounty hunter? He already employs my team in the CIA to do that.”

Kylo shrugged. “Maybe he doesn’t trust you to get the job done.”

“Excuse me?” Hux snapped, trying valiantly to keep the offence out of his voice but failing miserably.

“How many mutants have your team caught?”

Hux didn’t quite feel comfortable thinking of them as ‘his’ team; he knew he was likely to be let go when he returned, or at least reassigned. He thought on Kylo’s question for a moment. Their task force was relatively new but he knew they were deadly efficient. Mutants were not exactly easy to capture. “Since our creation, seven.”

Kylo huffed a laugh but he didn’t seem to find the number particularly funny. “Those guys have caught nearly fifty. Most of them went to the Academy. I assume most of them are dead.” 

Hux’s heart dropped low in his gut. _Fifty_. There was an independent task force out there doing nearly eight times as well as the team in the CIA, and yet he’d never heard of them before? Either Kylo is lying, or Thrask’s connections go deeper than he thought.

“You could be lying,” Hux said, “Trying to get me on edge, make me an easier target.”

“An easier target for what?” Kylo said, “You’ve been compliant since Seattle; I don’t need to put you on edge, you seem to do a good enough job of that yourself.”

Hux went to speak but found that all that came out was an offended splutter. Kylo cut him off before he could collect himself, barrelling onwards.

“And I’m not lying,” Kylo said. “Hold out your hand.”

“Why?” Hux said cautiously.

“Hold out your fucking hand, Hux,” Kylo snapped.

Hux stretched out his hand hesitantly, reaching to grasp Kylo’s already outstretched palm. As soon as he did so, he immediately heard a distant voice in the back of his mind.  _Thrask is waiting._  It was nothing but a hiss, but it sent a disgusted shiver down Hux’s spine. He ripped his hand from Kylo’s quickly, holding it to his chest as if Kylo had burned him.

“What was that?” Hux breathed.

“I took that from the bounty hunters mind. I hear that from every single one of them.”

Hux was horrified. Kylo was telling the truth. Did his father know about this? Did his father know that Thrask was already using a private force to track down and kill mutants? The CIA strictly never killed the mutants they captured - which had made Hux feel better about giving them over to Thrask. He suspected Thrask might’ve killed them, but he was able to live in ignorant bliss about it, was able to pretend that maybe Thrask could have set them free after his testing. Now, with this new information from Kylo, he couldn’t quite believe that lie.

Hux’s heart was in his throat. The sheer number was sickening. Fifty, plus the seven the CIA sent away. Hux knew personally that while the number was steadily climbing the number of mutants was still incredibly small, perhaps barely more than one or two percent of the population. To lose fifty seven all at once, it… it must be quite the devastating blow. To think that he had had even a part at creating that number made him feel sick where once he may have been proud. Some of those mutants had been barely teenagers, struggling on the lip end of childhood, barely older than cheery Rosaline had been. He felt like a monster. 

“I’m sorry,” Hux said, struggling for something to say,  _anything_  to say.

Kylo shrugged. “Not much you can do about it now.”

A thought struck Hux. “Yes, there is.” Kylo took a quick sideways glance at him. Hux continued onwards. “I won’t be returning to headquarters on Monday morning.”

“What?” Kylo asked, shaking his head slightly in confusion. His hand swerved slightly on the wheel.

“I can’t reasonably go back to working for the CIA,” Hux said, “Not after what you’ve told me.”

“What?!” Kylo asked again, “Hold on,” he continued, turning his attention back to the road. It was only a few seconds before Hux felt the car pull to a stop on the side of the road, the engine purring beneath them as it waited. Kylo turned to look at him dead in the eyes. “You’re resigning?”

A moment of doubt passed through Hux, before the nausea in his gut called back his attention. “Yes.”

“But,” Kylo started, “Your father—“

“Will live,” Hux said quickly, his voice confident despite the jolt of fear ran through his gut at the reminder of Brendol.

“Your mission, me, I—“ Kylo spluttered, “You’d drop that all for a few dead mutants?”

Hux nodded.

Kylo’s gaze softened, the stare sending warmth through Hux’s chest. Hux struggled not to gasp.

“Why the sudden change of interest?” Kylo inquired.

 _You,_ Hux didn’t say,  _you and a little girl._

“I don’t know,” Hux said instead, “I once had passion for my work, but it just doesn’t feel right anymore.”

There was a beat of silence.

“What will you do now?” Kylo asked.

Hux stalled. He hadn’t thought that far. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t seem to know an awful lot of things,” Kylo quipped, “Are you usually this impulsive?”

“Of course not. But circumstances change, and I must be adaptable,” Hux snapped, “I’ll make my plans once I’ve seen this mentor of yours.”

“Okay,” Kylo said, nodding along, “Okay,” he said once again, spinning back to sit straight in his seat, pressing down on the accelerator and pulling back onto the empty road.


	3. Chapter 3

They drove onwards in silence for a while, so long that Hux’s legs began to go numb. They passed through Minnesota without issue, stopping by a local café to grab a (rather disappointing) lunch before moving onwards. The sun was beginning to dip behind the hills when they made it over the border into Wisconsin. Kylo pulled into a surprisingly well kept motel near Roscoe.

This place was a polar opposite to the other places they had stayed in so far. The bell actually rang on their way in, the chime clear and polished throughout the room. The walls were a clean, pristine white, with no peeling or damage to be found. The potted plants in the corner actually had some life to them, and the front check in desk was an impressively detailed dark oak. It was somewhat of a paradise until they tried to get a room.

“Uh, sorry sirs,” the mousy little man with rounded glasses said from behind the front desk, “There’s only one room that isn’t booked out for this evening, and there is only one twin bed in that room.”

“We’ll take it,” Kylo said, shifting his weight to better align the duffle bag on his shoulder. Hux looked at him, momentarily stunned. He was sure his mouth was hanging open. 

The man behind the counter gave Kylo a strange look, “Are you sure, sir?”

“Yes,” Kylo said, his voice strong and confident. His eyes flicked to Hux’s. “We’ll make do.” 

 The man behind the counter nodded politely, turning to take the key to the room from the board on the back wall. The metal jangled as he did so. He handed them into Kylo’s outstretched hand and directed them up the stairs and to the left.

Kylo made his way up the stairs as per the man’s direction, Hux following dutifully along behind him. Hux’s chest was heavy, a strange fluttering nervousness having settled there. He pushed away the quivering thing, looking only directly towards Kylo’s back. Before he could realise where he was again Kylo was already inserting the key into the lock and opening the door with a thick click.

The room, much like the lobby, was absolutely pristine. The walls were the same pure, crystalline white colouring with no flaws to be found, and the carpet was a homely beige. There were no strange stains on the bedding or the floor, and the pillows looked like little clouds. It was a strange luxury compared to the previous places they’d been in.

“How much does this room cost to stay in?” Hux asked, somewhat breathlessly.

Kylo dropped his duffle bag to the floor beside the bed. “Too much,” he said cryptically, “But we didn’t pay for this.”

Hux huffed a breath that he hoped sounded like a sound of disappointment. “You really do have to stop using that.”

Kylo shrugged, but otherwise gave no answer. He reached down to pull at the hem of his sweater, pulling the wool up and over his head, ruffling his hair in the process. He puffed air at the waves that now obscured his vision and then looked to Hux. The sight of Kylo with his hair all fluffed and falling into his eyes made Hux want to disappear into a puddle on the floor.  _Damn it._

“I’m going to take a shower,” he said, “Pick a side on the bed, I don’t care.”

Hux nodded compliantly, watching as Kylo pulled the bathroom door closed behind him. He waited until he heard the water running and then dropped himself heavily onto the bed, the soft and malleable mattress below dipping with his weight. He buried his head into his hands and breathed a heavy breath, hoping to release some of the weight in his chest.

His mind rushed back to their conversation in the car. He said he was going to resign from the CIA. He hadn’t planned on that either. While not something he had originally intended, it seemed the only course of action he could take. It was incredible - and somewhat dizzying - just how much he had changed in such a short time span. It felt like every choice he’d made in his life had been leading up to these changes. So, while they were jarring because of their rapid fire nature, they were calming in that he now felt truly as though he had some sort of concrete goal instead of floating along waiting for something to happen.

He’d only wanted to go along with Kylo peacefully in order to make his inescapable trip with the mutant somewhat bearable. He hadn’t counted on falling for him. That significantly complicated things. This was going to end disastrously; he knew it. His head was at war with his heart; his head telling him to keep a safe distance from Kylo, from the  _mutant,_  while his heart sang to stay close, and to stay close forever. He bit back a curse that threated to slip from his lips. Fuck. He didn’t plan on this at all.  

The water running caught his attention once more. He shouldn’t have let himself fall this deeply. He likely wasn’t even going to see Kylo after he met with his mentor. That idea made his chest ache even without the thought that there was no way that Kylo could ever return his affections. He tried valiantly to ignore the heaviness in his chest, the thickness in his throat, but found himself falling into misery anyway.

He noticed the water had stopped running, though for how long he wasn’t sure. Hux’s attention was caught by the sound of the door opening and Kylo stepping out of the bathroom. His cheeks were flushed with warmth and his damp hair clung just slightly to his face. Hux had to tear his gaze away.

“Shower’s free,” Kylo said, completely oblivious to the turmoil in Hux’s mind, “If you want one.”

Hux cleared his throat. “Thank you, but I took one this morning.”

A flush rose to his cheeks at the memory of said morning shower, but he looked down quickly, hoping his hair would cover it. Kylo didn’t seem to notice and instead went to sit on the other side of the bed, his leg pulled up so that he could face Hux.

“Are you hungry?” Kylo asked.

Hux nodded. While his deepest hungers lay elsewhere, he supposed he could eat. In response Kylo jumped up and wandered from the room. Hux was too distracted by the sight of him leaving to remember to actually ask where he was going.

Kylo returned quickly with two plastic boxes filled with rice and meat, the sauce a dark yellow, clearly coloured somewhat with turmeric. He handed one to Hux, who took it appreciatively. They ate in relative silence, the meal enough to satisfy them for the time being. It was a little bit too spicy, and the rice wasn’t cooked fantastically, but it was enough.

As the room began to darken it quickly became very obvious they were going to have to address their bedding situation at some point.

“I’ll take the floor,” Kylo said, going to take one of the pillows from the bed.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hux replied quickly, “There’s enough room for both of us.”

Kylo paused. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. I’m not letting you sleep on the floor,” Hux scoffed.  

“Okay,” Kylo said, a hint of uncertainty still evident in his voice.

Hux trundled off into the bathroom to attempt to brush his teeth. When he came back Kylo was already in bed, his back facing away from Hux. He didn’t appear to be asleep - his breaths coming out too quickly for that - but he did seem to be creeping to the cusp of it. Hux quietly made his way over to the bed, as not to disturb him.

He gingerly lifted the duvet, sliding himself underneath it. He felt the bed dip with his weight and he froze, his eyes flicking to Kylo. He seemed unbothered, his breathing continuing to slow. Hux felt unbelievable jealously at how easily Kylo was managing to doze off considering the circumstances.

Hux lay back against the pillow, the softness of the material engulfing him. Had Kylo not been so close he may have been able to drift into a blissful sleep in the warm comfort of the bed, but he found he couldn’t. His heart was racing, and all he could do was stare blankly at the ceiling and physically force himself not to look at Kylo beside him. Ever hearing the man’s soft breathing was too much, every breath setting his nerves aflame.

He shut his eyes, hoping that eventually he would fade into at least a light doze. He stayed like that for so long that he began to lose track, just breathing deeply in and out, willing away the sound of Kylo next to him, as well as the extreme warmth he was radiating and the small shifts in his weight. Eventually, he found that he did fall asleep, his unconsciousness plagued with a nightmare.

In his mind there was nothing but endless wilderness, sheeted in ice. There were no sounds around him, only the blank whiteness of snow for as far as the eye could see. There didn’t seem to be a sun, though there was a glare bouncing from the white, blinding him. He shielded his eyes, and found that his fingers were completely blue, his veins defined ghastly.

He jolted back, looking down at his hands. They were shrivelled with cold, and ice to touch. He was barefoot, his toes also a worrying shade of purple. He took a step, the movement slow and sluggish, and then he fell.

Hux awoke with a start, breathing in a heavy gasp. He tried to move but found he could not. His heart was racing and he was covered in a cold sweat. He blinked his eyes awake, the movement stinging.

As soon as his eyes were open he immediately discovered the source of his restricted movement. It was Kylo, whose heavy arm was draped across his middle, holding him tightly. He felt Kylo’s hot breath on the back of his neck, his skin tickling with the brush of Kylo’s hair. He cautiously strained his neck to glace at Kylo behind him.

He was, of course, still absolutely fast asleep. His eyes were closed, his dark eyelashes splattered gently across his cheekbones, his face aglow from the moonlight softly drifting through the window. His mouth hung open slightly, a light snore emanating from him as his chest rose and fell. The sound was… sweet. Comforting. Human. Hux felt as though he’d been shot. A fondness swelled in his chest and he found himself smiling to himself like a fool. He really did have it bad, worse than he thought he’d ever had it before.

Hux paused for a moment, frozen stock still. He wasn’t sure how to proceed next, and Kylo could wake at any minute. He decided not to disturb Kylo – he looked tired and Hux didn’t want to wake him – and instead etched backwards a tad, just slightly closer to Kylo, placing his hand over Kylo’s. Kylo didn’t have to know he was awake - it was all an accident as far as he was concerned.

Hux found himself drifting into sleep once again, this time far far easier than before, the safe warmth of Kylo guiding him to unconsciousness. This time, no terrors plagued his mind, and he slept soundly until the glare of sunlight forced his mind awake hours later.

When Hux blinked awake this time, there was no Kylo behind him. He tried to ignore the drop in his gut at that realisation – he’d been lucky enough. Hux reached out his hand to run it along the silky sheet below him, finding the place where Kylo would have been was still warm. He mustn’t have awoken that long ago.

Hux sat up, blinking and looking around the room. Kylo wasn’t anywhere to be found there either, and he didn’t hear the sound of the water running. Hux breathed a heavy breath, knowing he would probably have to wait for Kylo to return on his own.

And he did - about an hour later, bursting through the door as if he were a philosopher who had just discovered the true meaning of life and now couldn’t wait to tell the whole world. He strode over to the bed and shoved a plate of something into Hux’s lap. Hux had to be quick to stop it from flipping over.

“Good morning to you too,” Hux grumbled, righting the plate on his lap. It was piled high with fresh buttered toast and ripe looking fruit. He cautiously took a plump, red grape from the side of the plate and popped it into his mouth, saving the pop of juice as he bit into it. Kylo, meanwhile only paced quickly around the room.

“What’s gotten into you?” Hux asked.

Kylo stopped his pacing for a moment and seemed as if he might speak, his mouth opening slightly. His brows furrowed, however, and he resumed his vigilance.

“Kylo!” Hux snapped, hoping to catch his attention, “Will you stop that?”

Kylo stopped and looked at him, his eyes burning holes into Hux. Hux was momentarily taken aback by their intensity.

“There’s something about you,” Kylo starting, gesturing wildly, “There’s something about you I don’t know that is so incredibly important it’s tearing me apart. It’s like an itch that I can’t scratch. It’s unbearable.” Kylo stopped to move closer to Hux, moving to dip over the bed. Hux leaned back instinctively. “Hux, you need to let me into your mind.”

“Excuse me?” Hux said, attempting to keep his voice level and failing.

Kylo looked down for a moment before continuing. “It’s the only way I’ll be able to find out.” Kylo breathed a heavy breath, sounding pained. “Please.”

Hux thought on it for a moment. What it wise to allow Kylo into his mind? He could find anything in there - things Hux wanted to keep private. It didn’t seem as though Kylo wanted to just take a cursory glance either, this seemed as though he wanted to root around in his mind for something specific. The thought of Kylo in his mind made him apprehensive, but the way Kylo was looking at him with such ferocious intensity he - he may be swayed.

“Will it hurt?” Hux asked.

Kylo looked confused, as if he wasn’t expecting that answer. “No, of course not. I’ll be gentle.”

Hux paused. “I suppose,” he said, his voice level.  

“Really?” Kylo said, heaving a relieved sigh.

“What, were you not expecting me to say yes?” Hux said, an eyebrow raised.

“Truthfully, no.”  

There was a beat of silence between them.

“What do you need me to do?” Hux asked.

Kylo gestured to the plate in his lap. “Finish that, it’s probably best if you’re completely awake for this.”

Hux was completely lost but wasn’t about to turn down the food in front of him. He ate at his own leisure, savouring every bite. Kylo waited patiently beside him, perfectly silent the whole time. Kylo didn’t verbally hurry him, but Hux could practically feel him vibrating out of his skin. When he had cleaned his plate, Hux put it aside on the dresser, licked his fingers clean of the sweet juice from the fruit, and turned to Kylo.

“Move up here,” Kylo commanded, gesturing towards the middle of the bed.

Kylo situated himself on the bed in a cross-legged position, facing the headboard of the bed. Hux moved to sit in front of him in the same fashion, feeling rather silly still dressed in Kylo’s ill-fitting pajama’s while Kylo was perfectly polished in front of him. Kylo nodded agreeably at his position. 

Kylo inched closer, knocking their knees together. He huffed a breath. “Bring your head forward.”

Hux leaned forward, bringing his face closer to Kylo’s. “Like this?”

Kylo nodded. He brought his face closer and closer to Hux’s, until their foreheads were touching, their noses close mere centimetres away from each other. Kylo’s breath mingled with Hux’s and Hux felt his breath catch.

“Is this truly necessary?” Hux breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s easier for me this way,” Kylo said, his voice somewhat breathy too, “Direct contact allows for a deeper connection. Something I’m going to need.”

“Alright,” Hux conceded, “I trust you.”

Kylo huffed a laugh. “A first.”

“Shut up, Kylo,” Hux replied, though there was no real malice in his voice.

Hux watched as Kylo’s eyes slipped closed, and he felt Kylo’s brows furrow against his own. It was a strange feeling, though one that wasn’t exactly unwelcome. Hux felt the air around him grow heavier, something he had become accustomed to when Kylo was using his mutation. He felt a light tickling at the forefront of his mind, the feeling making him itch to scratch a place he knew he could never reach. Then there was another pressure, this time closer to the back of his head, where his brain connected to his spine. It wasn’t painful, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either. The pressure grew and grew until Hux felt it appropriate that he too closed his eyes. He let them slip closed, blanketing his world in darkness.

The darkness didn’t stay for long as he was suddenly in a room - one he recognised. It was his father’s study, back in their old home in Windsor. He hadn’t thought about this house in years, he hadn’t been there since he was a teenager. They’d moved to the United States for his father’s work when he was on the cusp of adulthood. It felt strange to be back here in the living room now several miles away from him.

 _Winsor,_ a loud voice said with crystal clear clarity, sounding as if it came from the heaven’s themselves,  _explains the accent._

 _Kylo?_ Hux thought, hoping that if the voice was Kylo a thought would be enough to reach him.

_Yes. It’s me._

The edges of the room were blurred and he couldn’t see into the next room over, the entire place too hazy. He looked around, noticing that his eyelevel was much lower than it usually was. He could barely see over the cabinet in the corner full of his mother’s precious china. He looked down, seeing his hands, too, were much smaller and pudgier than his fingers usually were.  

 _Kylo, what’s going on?_ Hux thought, beginning to become overwhelmed.

_Don’t panic. This is only a memory._

Kylo’s voice was soothing, a reminder that he had guidance. He breathed a deep breath.

 _Where should I go?_  Hux thought.

_You don’t have to go anywhere, let your mind take you there. This has already happened. Let yourself remember._

Hux breathed a deep breath, trying to disconnect himself from his body, allowing his instinct’s to take the reins. He felt himself move forward, his path clearly outlined in a bright yellow glow.

Hux quickly find himself outside. It was raining, but he didn’t feel any wetness hit his skin. He knew he must have, though, when this was an event rather than a memory. Hux blinked, and the rain became hail, ice falling from the sky. His body backed up instinctively, not wanting to be hit with any of the hard shards.

There were the distant sound of footsteps, and then suddenly he was pulled backwards into the house by the back of his collar. His heard began to pound. He remembered this. He knew who that was behind him. He knew what happened next.

 _Kylo,_ Hux whispered,  _Kylo, I don’t want to remember this._

 _It’s okay._ Kylo’s voice said. Hux wasn’t convinced. His blinked again, and he was in his father’s study, his father looming over him like a deadly shadow.

 _Kylo,_ he begged,  _Kylo, please let me go, don’t make me do this again._

His memory began to cry, hot tears slipping down his cheeks. The memory was jagged, fading in and out. He heard his father’s booming voice, the words jumbled in the memory, but the intention clear. His father was going to hurt him.

 _Shhh, shhh,_ Kylo hushed, his voice now feeling much closer now,  _It’s okay. I’m here. He can’t really hurt you._

He felt the memory of pain flare against his cheek, where his father had left purple bruises that had lasted for weeks. Why had his father done this? What did he do?

 _Please,_ he whispered, feeling the grip on the scene fading, his vision turning white.  _Please, I_ —

His vision went white, the memory completely fading. He blinked, and when the memory faded away they were in another room, one Hux didn’t recognise. The walls were white, and there was a woman sitting on the bed in the centre of the room. She had lovely copper hair and she rocked a tiny buddle in her arms back and forth. Who was this woman? Why did she seem so familiar?

The buddle began to cry, the child inside making shrill little gurgling sounds. The woman continued to rock them back and forth, and began to sing. It was a soft sound, so quiet he could barely hear it. The woman looked up, looking at him but not seeming to see him at all.  He knew her features. She’d been one of his father’s maids. He remembered her. He didn’t remember her ever speaking of having a child, though.

There was a loud bang, and the woman on the bed jumped, the lights in the room all shattering at once, seemingly struck by some overwhelming electrical wave. The baby began to cry again and the woman looked at them with heavy, tired eyes, pressing the buddle close to her chest, right by her heart.

Hux could hear the thump, thump of a heartbeat, the sound engulfing the entire room. The baby quietened, their crying reduced to a few mismatched hiccups. The woman pressed her lips to the top of the baby’s head, closing her eyes. Hux felt an awful lot like he was intruding.

All at once, Hux’s vision went white and when his vision cleared he was back in the room in Wisconsin with Kylo. He felt cold, but Kylo’s breath was warm. They were still pressed together, having not moved at all during Kylo’s memory hopping. Kylo’s eyes were open, and he was looking at him with furrowed brows.

“Why did you show me that woman?” Hux asked quietly, not moving away from Kylo.

“What woman?” Kylo replied, not moving either.

“The one in the vision,” Hux breathed, “You must have seen her.”

Kylo looked him in the eyes. “You blocked me after your memory with your father. I’m sorry, I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Hux said, his heart dropping somewhat. He realised he hadn’t moved from his place against Kylo’s forehead. “Did you at least find what you were looking for?”

“No,” Kylo said, “But the itching feeling is gone at least.”

“I’m sorry,” Hux said, feeling strangely guilty.

Kylo smiled sadly, “It’s not your fault.”

Hux couldn’t help but think that it was, but he didn’t press the issue further. The room fell into silence, but Kylo didn’t tear his eyes away.

“You have a beautiful mind,” Kylo breathed, “I wish I could have stayed longer.”

Kylo’s eyes flicked to Hux’s lips, and then quickly back up again. Hux felt Kylo’s hand press against his own. His breath caught and his heart began to pound faster within the depths of his chest.

“I wish you could stay longer, too,” Kylo said. He sucked his bottom lip in, pressing his teeth against the skin so that it returned pink and shiny. Hux caught himself staring. He pressed back against Kylo’s hand ever so softly. Soft enough that if he had horribly misinterpreted the situation he could easily withdraw, say it was an accident. He truly hoped that would not have to be the case.

Kylo’s right hand came up to cup Hux’s cheek, the touch so delicate, so soft, as though he didn’t know if he was allowed there or not. Hux leaned against the touch in response, showing him  _yes, yes of course you belong there. You have always belonged there, even before I truly knew who you were._ He inched closer, brushing their noses together clumsily. Kylo’s eyes slipped closed as he moved forward, inching ever closer as well. A voice in the back of his head that sounded suspiciously like his father hissed  _mutant, mutant_ , but the voice was distant, muffled as though covered in a tarp made purely from pure elation and joy.  _Yes, yes,_ a voice – this one more his own - chanted, drowning his father out.

When Kylo’s lips finally met his, Hux huffed a relieved sigh, letting his eyes fall closed. Kylo’s lips were slightly chapped and his press tentative and questioning. To Hux it was perfect. It felt as though he had waited a lifetime for this moment, even if in reality it had been no-where near that long. He’d never believed in the fairy tale of fireworks blooming in your head during a perfect kiss, but the way he felt now, he was sure Kylo could change his mind. Kylo had changed a lot of things about him. Hux tangled his hands in Kylo’s hair, dragging him closer.

Kylo groaned, pressing back with fervour, the force knocking Hux back onto the bed with a huff. Kylo followed him down, not wanting to be parted for too long. When they broke apart for a breath, Kylo did not stray far.

“Stay with me, Hux,” Kylo whispered against his lips, his voice barely above a whisper, “Don’t go back to Seattle.”

The choice, for Hux, seemed easy, even though it should’ve theoretically been the hardest decision of his life.

“Of course,” Hux breathed, letting his hands fall from Kylo’s hair to find their place against his neck. The skin there was warm, and he could feel the heady strum of Kylo’s quickened heartbeat. “Of course.”

Kylo surged forward to claim Hux’s lips once again, the press of his lips passionate and fiery, all tentativeness relinquished in search of baser pleasures. Hux parted his lips in a gasp at the forcefulness, the touch sending an pleasant electric jolt down his spine. The room was quiet save for their harboured breathing and the wet sounds of their lips. Hux could feel himself growing hard. Hux raised his knee, pressing it against the space Kylo had left between his legs, growing bolder. Kylo gasped. From what Hux would feel clearly he wasn’t the only one.

“Do you want to—“ Kylo began to ask, his eyes half lidden and hazy with desire.

Hux cut him off quickly with a rough kiss, any finesse he once had truly thrown out the window. “Yes,” he breathed when they parted, “Yes.”

Kylo responded in a quick, jerky nod. His cheeks were flushed and his wild hair fell into his eyes. Hux caught himself smiling dopily.

Hux pressed a hand to Kylo’s chest, pressing lightly to instruct him to move back. Kylo did so obediently, sitting back on his haunches, his legs splayed to straddle Hux’s hips. He fingered at the hem of Hux’s shirt, and then began to unbutton each button, his hands shaking all the while. Hux felt a little unsteady himself, his nervousness strange and unfamiliar. He’d done this before, sure, but it was never with someone like Kylo, always quick, hurried and mechanical. A simple means to an end. Hux leaned off of the bed, helping Kylo to remove his shirt once all the buttons were free and then watched in delight as Kylo then moved to remove his own shirt.

Kylo was gorgeous, that, of course, he’d known already – he still vividly recalled his glistening chest in the afterglow of a pleasant shower. But up close, he was even more stunning. Hux’s finger twitched, itching to reach out and touch the skin so tantalisingly close to him. It was with a jerk that he realised that now he could. He reached out, the movement slow and cautious, and pressed his hand to Kylo’s stomach, running his fingers along the soft skin there, letting the pads of his fingers linger along strong muscle.  

Kylo flinched at his touch. “Cold,” he said, a huff of a laugh breaking the word in two. His gaze was unbearably fond, and his pupils full blown. His brown eyes looked even lovelier in the early sunlight of the morning, the iris’ lit a beautiful chocolate.  

Kylo’s hands reached down, fiddling with the hem of Hux’s pants. Hux failed to hold back a gasp, his chest quivering with anticipation.  Kylo leaned forward to press his lips to the underside of Hux’s jaw. Hux eagerly leaned his head back, his eyes slipping closed in bliss. He found his fingers drifting back into Kylo’s soft hair, seemly unable to stop them.

He felt Kylo’s hand pull the elastic waist of his pants downwards, his fingers curling around his underwear, pulling the boxers beneath with them. Hux gasped as the cool air of the room breathed across his cock, the shock running a shiver up his spine. Hux’s eyes widened as he felt warm fingers curl around the shaft, moving agonisingly slowly, testing. He could feel the burning in his gut growing warmer at the touch. Kylo stroked him long and slowly, his movements growing clearer and more precise. He never strayed from his pace, keeping his speed exactly the same, leaving Hux groaning for more. It was as though Kylo had known him for years, and knew him perfectly.

 _I know you more intimately than anyone has or ever will._ Kylo had said that back at the diner in what seemed like it was a lifetime ago. Time didn’t seem to pass as it usually did these past few days. Kylo’s very presence made everything slow, as if he wanted to drink in and savour every little moment at an agonising pace.

Kylo’s lips moved upwards towards his ear, his laboured breathing loud. He felt Kylo’s teeth begin to nibble at the soft lobe there, drawing a soft moan for Hux. Hux knew he must look a mess half-dressed and thoroughly debauched, but he didn’t particularly find himself caring. His vanity had no place here.  

“Kylo,” he breathed, the name feeling natural on his tongue, “Faster.”

Kylo’s pace quickened, the frantic speed drawing louder and louder moans from Hux. Hux felt his fingers begin to grip at the bedsheets below him, looking for perchance on  _something,_  anything. He groaned in frustration as Kylo’s hand suddenly left him, his cock now achingly hard and dripping.

His brows furrowed in confusion for only a moment before he heard the crumble of fabric and then felt the press of Kylo’s cock against his own. He breathed a shared moan as Kylo’s hand then engulfed them both, stroking back and forth. He felt as though he may very well explode, shatter into a thousand little happy pieces, destined to float around the fancy hotel room for eternity.

Hux’s eyes flicked upwards, waiting to see Kylo. His face was flushed, and his eyes were fluttering open and closed, straining to look down at Hux. His mouth was open in a quiet moan, the sound so soft Hux could barely hear it. The little sound awakened a hunger deep within Hux’s gut. He had to have more.

“Louder,” Hux breathed. Kylo looked at him with furrowed brows.

“What?” he gasped, the question hindered by a quiet whine.

“I want to hear you,” Hux commanded. “Louder.”

Kylo’s hand quickened, squeezing ever so slightly, drawing a loud moan from them both. He felt a rush of power run through his chest at Kylo so readily bending to his command.

“Better,” Hux said, feeling rather pleased with himself.

Hux was close, he could feel it - the wonderful tightness curling in his gut. It wouldn’t take much more of Kylo’s intoxicating stroking to push him over the precipice. He felt his hips begin to jerk upwards without his control, itching to reach his release. Kylo, too, it seemed, was near to his end too. His breath was quick, now coming out in short gasps only interrupted in pleasured moans. It was like a song to Hux’s ears.

“Hux,” Kylo groaned, “Please,” he begged.

It was only a few more quick strokes and Kylo was coming with a loud groan, spilling over both his hand and Hux’s cock, making his grip slippery. Hux soon followed with a heaving gasp, the unrelenting slick grip pushing him over the edge, his eyes fluttering back as the rush of his orgasm filled a heat in his bones.

Kylo’s hand remained between them for a few moments before he pulled away, dropping his weight onto his elbows by Hux’s head. He smiled down at Hux, the grim dopey and unhindered. Hux found himself smiling back instinctively.  

“What?” Hux asked, slightly breathless.

“You’re beautiful when you come.”

Hux felt a rush of embarrassment run though him, his cheeks warming. He didn’t say anything, not trusting his tongue to form the words. All he could do was stare at Kylo, thanking whatever god there was that he had met him.

They didn’t stay looked in that embrace for long, Hux quickly cringing at the feeling of cooling cum drying across his stomach. He pushed Kylo back, swinging his legs over the bed and made a beeline for the shower.

He had barely turned the water on when he heard the door open behind him, a familiar body joining him.

“You couldn’t have waited?”  

Kylo pressed his lips to Hux’s shoulder, his hair tickling his skin. “More efficient this way. You like efficiency don’t you?”

Hux huffed a laugh, reaching for the shampoo bottle on the rack in the corner. “I like you.”

Kylo snorted, caught off guard by the response. “I wouldn’t have picked you for a sap.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Hux said, squirting shampoo into his hand and running it through his hair, “I tend to like most people I sleep with.”

“Sure, Hux,” Kylo said. Hux couldn’t see him but he could practically feel the eye-roll in the words.

Hux handed the shampoo bottle back to Kylo, who took it and worked it into his own hair. Kylo looked absolutely ridiculous with the halo or bubbles the shampoo had created, though he guessed he probably didn’t look much better.

It took longer than it probably should have for the pair to leave the warmth of the shower, Kylo insisting on being a pest and Hux strangely powerless to stop him. It wasn’t until perhaps an hour later that they managed to leave the bathroom to retrieve their clothes.

“We should probably get going,” Kylo said, looking at the little clock on the nightstand. It ticked to eleven o’clock, and Hux nodded. They’d already at stayed longer than they had any other morning, and he suspected the cleaning staff were beginning to notice. They had far outstayed their welcome.  

There was a spring in Kylo’s step as he collected his things, slinging the duffle bag over his shoulder. He held out his arm and looked at Hux with a cocked eyebrow.

“What?” Hux asked.

“Shall we depart?” He said, his accent dipping into one of mockery. Hux gave him a pointed look and brushed past him.

“Arse,” Hux muttered. He heard Kylo cackle behind him.

Kylo bounded up beside him, his face flat in concentration. “How long did you live in England for? Obviously long enough to pick up the accent - you know I really should have picked it earlier.”

“I was well into adulthood by the time I came to the States,” Hux answered, pushing open the front door and letting Kylo walk through.

There was a pause as Kylo thought. “I think the Professor will like you. He speaks a lot like you do.”

“I don’t think he needs to like me, Kylo,” Hux replied.

Kylo shrugged. “I know. But I want him to.”

Hux stuttered to a stop, turning to look at Kylo. They were but mere meters from Kylo’s car, and Kylo nearly tripped trying to stop in time. “You seem fond of this professor.”

Kylo nodded. “He helped me, quite a lot,” Kylo said, “He does that – helps people. There are hundreds of mutants I know who are better off because of him.”

The conversation lulled into a comfortable silence as they made the remaining distance to Kylo’s car, climbing into their respective seats. This seemed so natural now, even if Hux reasoned that it really probably shouldn’t. This was the most unnatural turn of events that possibly could have happened to him. Kylo’s car almost felt like a second home now, and it worried him just how quickly that thought had managed to become comfortably planted in his brain. It sent a jolt through him, one he cleverly concealed.

Hux turned to Kylo, a question clearly attempting to leap from his touch. He swallowed, and then spoke. “Why did you need help?”

“Hm?” Kylo hummed, turning on the ignition, the familiar engine roaring to life below them, the car turned on but still parked in neutral.

“You said the Professor helped you,” Hux clarified, “Why did you need help from someone like him?”

Kylo breathed a heavy sigh, his shoulders tense. “It’s. It’s not a very pleasant story. You probably don’t want to hear it.”

“Kylo, my job was an unpleasant story every single day. I think I can handle one of yours.”     

Kylo’s nervousness didn’t seem to dissipate, his discomfort still evident. “I – It may change your perspective of me.”

Hux reached across the middle of the car, pressing his hand into Kylo’s closest one, linking their fingers together in some hope of comforting Kylo. Infuriatingly, it pained him to see Kylo so tense. “I can handle it. I told you I trusted you. Now, I need you to trust me.”

Kylo heaved a heavy sigh, his breath shaky as it exited his lungs. His shoulders still seemed somewhat tense, but there was a certain looseness that wasn’t there before. Hux hoped something he’d done had been the cause of such comfort, finding the thought of being able to cool Kylo’s nerves a strangely thrilling experience.

“I was a troubled kid,” Kylo started, “I was a nightmare on my poor parents, as busy as they were. I have a lot of… I’m not sure. Rage, I suppose would be the best way to describe it, trapped inside me. It was a torment as a little boy, and I vividly remember just wanting it out, doing anything I could to relieve myself of the pain. As a kid I threw a lot of temper tantrums. I think my parents must have figured I’d grow out of it but I just,” Kylo took a shaky breath, “I just didn’t.”

Hux squeezed Kylo’s hand, willing him the strength to continue. Kylo shot him a small, thankful smile, though it didn’t quite seem to reach his eyes.

“It only got worse when my mutation started showing. I must have been ten when I started to hear voices in my head. The voices always varied, some familiar and some fleeting and strange. Some of them were kind, most of them were not. I finally figured out that the voices I was hearing were the voices in other people’s heads. It made me even angrier. I lashed out a lot, got myself into a lot of trouble during high school over stupid fights I started because of something I heard said in someone else’s mind. It only got worse when I found out I could control objects with my mind.” Kylo looked down sheepishly. “I destroyed a lot of things.”

Hux was silent during all of this, nodding along to show that he was still listening, squeezing Kylo’s hand when it seemed as though something was beginning to overwhelm him.

“My parent’s tried their best with me, but there was nothing they could do. They weren’t – as far as I know - mutants themselves, and couldn’t possibly understand. I don’t think I ever remember wanting them to,” Kylo paused, swallowing, “That’s when they sent me to the Professor. He… he has an aura of calm around him, something that just makes you want to be peaceful forever. He could read minds too. He understood me. He helped me work through my rage, turn it into a more productive power.”

Kylo drifted to a halt, looking pointedly not at Hux but at the floor of the car. It made Hux’s heart heart.

“You seem very fond of him,” Hux said, rubbing his thumb back and forth across the back of Kylo’s hand. Kylo’s gaze lifted, and Hux saw both a sadness and a fierce determination in his eyes.

“I am,” Kylo said, “He made me better. I’m forever thankful for it.”

A burning question leapt to Hux’s throat, but he hesitated to say it, thinking it perhaps rather rude to ask.

“You can ask it,” Kylo said, looking directly at him.

“I thought I told you to stay out of my mind,” Hux said, but there wasn’t much bite to the words anymore. He found himself not really minding Kylo’s presence in his mind- it was something of a comfort.

A light pink dusting rose to Kylo’s cheeks, “Sorry, I, uh, when we joined. Before. It made the connection stronger. It’s harder to stay out. I promise I’m not digging on purpose.”

Hux let the ghost of a smile cross his face, enough to show he meant what he said. “I know.”

Kylo smiled back, his grin soft, and slightly more natural now. It made Hux completely forget what he was going to ask. It probably wasn’t all that important anyway. Kylo’s shoulders were still somewhat tense, vulnerability keeping the muscles taut. He turned back to the steering wheel, pressed off the break, changed gears and drove off outwards onto the road.

Hux had begun to grow fond of this time with Kylo, the hours they spent not talking and instead living in a quiet peace - Kylo’s eyes glued to the road and Hux’s wandering across whatever wonderful scenery each state blessed him with. It was not often that he was outside of Seattle these days, and he found himself missing each place as they passed through. Each state, each motel they stayed at, each diner they at ate had its own personality. Its own drive. It was easy to become enraptured in the fantasy of all of it. It made his choice to never return to the stifling, ordered air of Seattle all that more freeing. He felt less fearful out here, with only Kylo beside him, the engine below him, and the world outside of his window. It was a peace he could never find, and now that he’d found it, he never wanted to let it go.

He felt a tug in his chest, and found his eyes wandering back to Kylo. His eyes were looking straight out, scanning the road as every safe driver should. It somewhat surprised Hux that Kylo was in fact an incredibly cautious driver, it had seemed so out of place at first. Kylo as a whole seemed rough and unrefined, the kind of individual who would be prone to indulging in such silliness as hooning. Kylo was still something of an enigma to him, and he itched to know more, to sit and listen to his deep, rumbling voice tell his entire life story, hear his thoughts, his goals and his fears. The thought shocked him a little, just how quickly he had grown so enamoured, but the shock was coming to him to frequently now he barely had time to dwell on it.

Hux found the fingers in his hand flexing, wanting so desperately to touch Kylo once again. He’d always felt so cold, and Kylo was like a burning ember – warm but not dangerous unless called to be. He wanted to stay locked together with Kylo forever – the factor of that being unrealistic not seeming to be something that crossed his mind. He held back a giggle, not wanting to startle Kylo. Infatuation had made him silly.

Time seemed to pass in a blur, Hux not realising they had made it into Michigan before he was greeted with the clear blue of the massive Lake Michigan. The sun had just begun to dip, the afternoon warmth beginning to chill, the soft glow bouncing off of the water. It was magnificent, the small taste that he had had breathtaking to behold. He wanted to go back there, if he could. He supposed now he could. He didn’t have ties anywhere, anywhere except for with Kylo. 

Hux was pulled from his reverie by the sensation of Kylo turning the car into a nearby gas station. It was found out towards Illinois’ boarder, barely on the divide between this state and Ohio, living in the strange gaps between towns. There was nothing but farmland for as long as he could see, the little gas station a fortress amongst the dull yellowed fields. It seemed to be the natural of these pit stops to be in the middle of nowhere.  

Kylo manoeuvred the car next to a tank, opening his door and going to get out. He turned back to Hux, his body caught in an awkward position between being inside the car and being without. “I’ll be right back.”

Hux went to unlatch his door too, pushing it open. “I’m coming with you.”

Kylo gave him a funny look, but didn’t say anything to stop him, shrugging nonchalantly. He unfolded himself from the car and made his way over to the tank, Hux beside him. Hux said nothing, and was instead content to watch rather than to comment. He saw some things Kylo could probably be doing better and with more precision but he held his tongue.

The pair made their way into the gas station, Hux pestering Kylo to actually  _pay_ this time rather than using his mutation to fool people into thinking he already had. Kylo accepted with a barely contained grumble. Hux may not be CIA anymore but he at least wanted to try and continue to obey the law, even if no one would ever know Kylo was breaking one in the first place. People didn’t really expect someone’s mutation to be used in such a manner.

As they were paying, Hux spotted something out of the corner of his eye, just outside the window. It was barely a flash but it was enough to make the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He was immediately on the defensive, but he wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Did you see that?” Hux asked Kylo, tapping him on the arm.

Kylo gave him an odd look. “See what?”

“There’s something outside.”

Kylo paused for a moment, his hand raising just slightly, the only physical action he used to extend his mutation. “I can’t feel anyone. It could just be the wind blowing something around.”

Hux hummed, unconvinced but without enough evidence to butt heads with Kylo on this. “Maybe.”

They made their way out of the gas station, thanking the attendant for their service. The sun was beginning to dip outside; the sky was beginning to darken. Hux still felt on edge, though Kylo assured him that it really was probably nothing. Hux had to concede – Kylo was the one who could literally read minds after all. Perhaps Kylo did know better this time.

In a flash, a figure appeared from Hux’s left side, sneaking out from behind the building. He found himself facing down the barrel of a gun. His hand instinctively feel his left side where his firearm would have at one point been. He felt Kylo tense beside him.

“Stop,” the man commanded.

He was dressed in all black, thick-soled combat shoes on his feet. This man was either military or police. It was always the shoes that gave them away. However, it wasn’t the shoes that struck Hux as odd. It was the helmet’s they wore, all thick metal and strangely shaped. He couldn’t quite remember what they did, but he had a feeling in his gut that it wasn’t exactly good. What he did absolutely knew for a fact that they looked completely goofy though.

Hux raised his hands in surrender and he looked at Kylo to do the same. Kylo seemed to get the hint, and raised his arms with his palms flat out. The man looked to the side, waving his hand in a come hither motion. 

In an instant seven more similarly dressed men surrounded them, facing them in a semi-circle. Hux felt a chill run through him. This certainly was an unpleasant situation. Lucky for him, however, he had a mutant on his side.

 _Kylo, can you hear me?_ Hux thought, trying to make the voice as loud as he could.

 _Of course._ Kylo replied, his voice somewhat distorted within his mind.

_Can you freeze them?_

There was pause. Kylo’s fingers twitched.  _No – no, I can’t I – they’ve blocked me. It’s those helmets._

Hux felt a jolt of panic run through him, and he felt himself begin to sweat. So that’s what those helmets did. They blocked out Kylo’s mind tricks. That wasn’t great. They may not be able to get out of this one.

“Who do you work for?” Hux asked, his voice flat and commanding despite the panic coursing through him.

The first man snorted. “That’s for me to know.”

Hux resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Typical.

“And it won’t matter,” the man soldiered on, “Because you’ll be dead in a few minutes.”

Now that really got Hux’s heart racing. He was staring down the barrels of several deadly looking firearms, the men holding them geared to the teeth and a mutant beside him powerless against them. This really was perhaps the worst case scenario. He saw no way out of this. He was ready to accept his death, even if that was gunned down by who knows in a far off gas station. It’s not how he’d imagined himself going, but it certainly wasn’t the worst possible way to go. He felt a strange sense of calm wash over him at the prospect.

But then he looked to his side, where Kylo still stood, brows furrowed in deep concentration. His hands were still up, but Hux could practically see the cogs turning in his head. He was struck with an awful pang in his stomach. He didn’t want to die, dying would mean leaving Kylo, leaving this thing they had barely started behind. He remembered their morning, seemingly lifetimes ago, and he remembered how he’d never felt happier. He didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to cut that short. He felt cold, so so cold.

He felt himself beginning to panic even more, his heart pounding unpleasantly in his chest. He looked at Kylo frantically, who didn’t look back, still seeming lost in his own thoughts. His eyes flicked quickly back to the men with the guns. They raised their guns to fire. Tears sprung to Hux’s eyes. This was it he knew, he knew they were going to fire and there was no way they were going to miss at this range. Kylo was going to die, and so was he. The cold was overwhelming.

“Ready?” The first man said, looking at the pair. He waved his hand. “Fire.”


	4. Chapter 4

The echo of the gunshot rang out, and Hux instinctively threw himself in front of Kylo, knowing that perhaps if one of them took the shots the other could get away. Hux clenched his eyes closed tightly, readying himself for the agony he was about to feel as the shells entered him. The smell of gunpowder was thick in the air, but strangely, Hux felt no pain.

“What the fuck?” He heard the first man say. His mind was reeling with confusion. What was going on? Hux slowly opened his eyes, and what he saw shocked him.

In front of him, standing tall and stalwart between the bullets and himself was a thick sheet of ice, frozen into a wave pattern, the very top of it curling above Hux’s head. He looked at the block in blatant disbelief, seeing several metal bullet casings embedded within the thick layer. He took a glance down at his hands, seeing that his fingers were blue, and there was a thin, freezing coat of water covering his hands. 

Hux was frozen still. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Their attackers, too, were stock still in shock. What was happening to him?

He didn’t have time to ponder as he felt a hand grab at the back of his collar, dragging him towards where Kylo had parked the car. He glanced at his assaulter, calming when he saw that it was simply Kylo. He was glad one of them still had the reaction time to get away while they could.      

Kylo quickly shoved him into the passenger seat and took his spot at the driver’s side, not waiting a moment before speeding off away from the gas station. There was a panic to his driving, and he was going far too fast for it to be safe, but Hux couldn’t really concentrate on any of that.

All Hux could do was look down at his hands. He could feel the icy water drip, drip, dripping into his lap, not bothering to contain where the icy droplets fell. He couldn’t seem to get the water to stop. When he thought that his hands may have dripped their last drop more icy precipitation decided to make itself know. It was as if it was being created from nothing over and over again. His fingers were beginning to turn a worrying shade of purple, but strangely, it didn’t seem to hurt as he thought it should have. He just looked, and looked, and looked. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, every moment sending him further and further into an abyss he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to claw his way out of.

By the time Kylo finally slowed down to pull over to the side of the road Hux was on the verge of a panic attack. His breathing was quick and shallow, his skin a sickly white and his vision was beginning to blur into grey fuzz. He was going to be sick.

Hux wasted no time pawing at the door handle, fumbling it open and flinging the heavy metal aside. He stumbled out onto the grassland, and quickly doubled over, retching and emptying his stomach. The acid burned his throat, and the spasms in his stomach were near painful. He stumbled away to the side, and fell onto his knees, sapped of energy, not caring if he got mud all over his trousers. He felt miserable, and he was terrified and he all wanted it to stop please, please won’t anybody make it stop—

“Hux,” Kylo’s voice said, the sound distant in his ringing ears. There was a hand on his shoulder, large and comforting.  It was gone quickly.

Hux turned, his vision blurry. “What’s happening to me?” His voice shook with the question. He saw his hands in his periphery. Everything about him was shaking.

“Hux, I need you to calm down,” Kylo said, dropping to kneel beside him. He stayed close, but didn’t touch Hux again, careful with how he handled him.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Hux gasped, his voice tight, “I’m so scared.”

Hux took a cursory glance around and saw the grass below him was turning grey with death, his chill sapping away their very life-force. He made a circle around himself, the flowers wilted and frostbitten. There was a layer of ice, it seemed, covering everything.  It just made Hux panic more. He was killing something, and he didn’t know how to make it  _stop_. 

Kylo reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together. Hux felt a jolt of nausea at having to feel something in his hands, his freezing, dripping hands, but felt warmed by Kylo’s presence within them.

 _Calm your mind,_ Kylo’s voice chimed in his head, though the words didn’t seem his, just a lilt in the accent giving it away,  _Just listen to my voice. Calm your mind._

Hux closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. They stayed there for a long while, Hux attempting to get his breathing under control with Kylo’s voice drifting softly throughout his mind. He found his terror beginning to melt away, and as his panic dissipated, so did the frozen water on his palms. The grass below him slowly melted, and began to grow anew once more. He still felt overwhelmed, and desperately just wanted to do nothing but cry, but his general being took on a sense of peace. He was less frantic, his skin just a little less clammy.

When Hux felt the last of the icy water finally drip from his hand he looked up, blinking. Kylo was there, a soft, wonderfully comforting smile across his face. “Better?” Kylo asked.

Hux nodded, not quite trusting his voice yet. He wiped at his mouth, a foul taste now tainting his tongue. Kylo seemed to understand, continuing to talk even without verbal reciprocation.

“I was so foolish to not have seen it earlier.” Kylo looked at him directly, making sure their eyes were connected before he spoke. “I know now why the Professor wanting to meet you so badly. You’re a mutant.”

That word was enough to make Hux’s panic flare up again. Kylo quickly regained hold of Hux’s hand, shushing him. “It’s nothing to be afraid of, Hux.”

“How?” Hux said, his voice coming out a broken croak. There was still a thickness in his throat.

Kylo paused for a moment. “You blocked me out this morning, you said you saw a woman. What did she look like?”

Hux struggled to regain the memory. “She was… sweet, with auburn hair. I knew her. She was one of my father’s maids. She’d always taken a liking to me, but I don’t know why. Maratelle hadn’t liked her at all.”

Kylo hummed. “Did something else happen in the memory? What was she doing?”

Hux felt his eyes scrunching in thought. “There was… There was a baby. They were crying.”

Kylo’s eyes lit up with some unknown recognition. “I know what happened,” he turned to look at Hux with a new intensity, “That was your mother. The baby was you.”

Hux felt as though he’d gotten whiplash. “Pardon?”

“It makes sense, doesn’t it? A simple maid taking a special interest in you, almost immediately, right?”

Hux thought on it. He supposed Kylo was right. She always had been very maternal to him. He thought it had just been her doing her job. He nodded slowly, still trying to make sense of it all.

Kylo continued. “And besides, I cannot activate a memory you were not actually a part of. If there was only her and a child, then it stands to reason the only explanation is that that very child was you. It’s likely she was a mutant herself.”

Hux thought back, reaching deep into the memories of his childhood. There had been times when a lightbulb had burst that they’d just replaced, or their power had stayed on during a terrible storm, but he had never thought much on them. Now, with the thought that she may have had some hand in controlling these things, the concept that his biological mother was a mutant didn’t seem so farfetched.   

Hux felt his heart sink momentarily. “She was unwed. She would have been forced to give me up.” Hux paused for a moment, thinking. “I’m a mutant  _and_  a bastard,” he snorted, the laugh so terribly self-deprecating.  

There was a pause.

“If I  _am_ a mutant, why would my mutation only be showing up now?”  

Kylo shrugged. “It must’ve been something to do with our connection this morning, it must’ve unlocked something within you.”

Hux felt his brows furrowing. “Why would it have been locked away in the first place?”

“Think back. My guess is it was something your mind hid away in order to keep you safe from your father. He doesn’t seem the type of person to welcome a mutant son into his arms.”

Hux chortled. “My father isn’t the type to let  _anyone_  into his arms.”

Hux felt a light thud against his shoulder and Kylo smacked him. “You know what I meant.”

A comfortable silence fell between them. Hux felt rather embarrassed at his outburst, knowing he likely appeared silly now. Kylo lowered himself further to the ground, sitting beside Hux. He draped an arm across his shoulder and pulled him close. Hux pressed tightly against Kylo’s side, wanting to be warm again. He’d been cold for so long, and now he knew why. It was the chill inside him wanting to be set free that he had never let out of its cage. The tempest had roared inside of him for years, and he’d never known.

Hux found his mind drifting back to Kylo, as it so often did. Had he discovered this part of himself a week ago he likely wouldn’t have been able to cope with it and who knows what he would have done alone. A week ago he had thought mutants the most dangerous creatures in the world – he’d worked to send mutants to their demise regularly and had never blinked an eye. Now. Now it was different. Mutant meant something else to him now. It wasn’t dangerous or a threat, it was warmth, it was Kylo’s dorky smile, it was Kylo’s soft hair, it was Kylo’s firm hold, it was Kylo’s firm chest and his beautiful cock, it was… it was Kylo. And he liked Kylo an awful lot.

Hux held out his hand, examining his fingers. He felt a pulse of energy rush through to his palm at a mere thought and quickly his hand began to drip in icy water, the tiny droplets running down his fingers and onto his palm. He held his fingers outwards, directing them towards the grass in front of them. He flicked his fingers outwards, and gasped as a sheet of ice appeared as he did so, the thickest part of the slate near him, thinning out until it wasted away.

He felt fingers push his hair aside, and then felt lips press softly to his temple. He felt his eyes fluttering at the touch, leaning into them. The lips lingered for a moment, before pulling away, replaced with the press of a large, endearing nose. He wanted to be disgusted at just how much of a sap he was turning into, but he supposed it was okay that Kylo brought out the worst in him.    

It wasn’t until the sun began to really set, blanketing them in darkness that they returned to Kylo’s car. They drove for some time with the moonlight guiding their path before they found a run-down, admittedly dodgy looking motel on the corner of town and lay down their heads for the night. Hux found himself blanketed in Kylo’s warmth, neither wanting to be apart for longer than they had to be.

He found that he slept wonderfully that night, waking refreshed and to the wonderful feeling of Kylo’s lips on his cock.

“Good morning to you too,” Hux said through a gasp, his voice raspy with sleep. He could already feel heat coiling in his gut, pleasure shooting up his spine as Kylo sucked in his cheeks and then pulled back to lick at the drippling head.

Kylo mumbled something, but it was rather difficult to understand him with his mouth full. Hux didn’t particularly care to have him repeat it, already drawing close to his end. Hux felt his eyes fluttering and his thighs shaking as Kylo sucked him into his mouth fully, his throat closing around him. He found himself moaning loudly at the sensation, fingers grasping at Kylo’s hair.

“Kylo,” he warned, completely breathless.

Kylo seemed to understand, but didn’t relent in his mission. It did not take long for Hux to find himself reaching that sweet edge, clawing at the sheets in abandon, crying out as he spilled his seed down Kylo’s throat. Kylo swallowed, coughing only minutely to clear his throat.

Kylo crawled upwards, pressing himself close against Hux’s check and pressing his lips to Hux’s. They both smelled of horrible morning breath, and Hux could definitely taste the saltiness of himself against Kylo’s mouth, but neither seemed to truly mind all that much.

Hux pulled back barely an inch, the breaths still close enough to become entwined. “Would you like me to return the favour?”

Kylo shook his head. “Not right now,” he said. “Though I might accept your offer later.”

Hux nodded, pressing his lips back onto Kylo’s wanting to feel him there once more. The electrical feeling he got when he was this close to Kylo had not waned from yesterday, and it still made his chest thunder in his chest like an award winning racehorse speeding down a track. It made him feel both dizzy and incredibly alive all at once.

“Hux,” Kylo mumbled against his lips.

Hux hummed in acknowledgement, but didn’t pull away.

“Look,” Kylo said, pulling back enough that Hux could no longer chance him without effort. Kylo was looking below them, to the sheet where Hux lay. It was covered in crackling, fragmenting ice, the fabric below frozen solid.

Hux felt his eyes widen. “Am I doing that?”

Kylo nodded. “It seems so.”

Hux ran his fingers across the ice, finding its temperature to be predictably freezing. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”

Kylo’s fingers found a bare patch of skin by his hip where his shirt had ridden up and the rubbed his thumb back and forth there. “It took me some time to get used to mine too.”

The pair found it far harder to untangle themselves this morning that it had been previously, finding themselves glued to each other’s sides and rather getting in the way. It took Hux elbowing Kylo in the ribs while brushing his teeth in the tiny bathroom to get them to concede to perhaps separating for a few minutes. Neither of them truly wanted to acknowledge why they wished to be so close, preferring both to use the excuse of another potential attack. They had to have each other’s back, of course.

It was still early morning when they left the dingy motel with the sun only just beginning to peak above the clouds to warm the earth for the day. They spent most of the drive in comfortable silence, Hux figuring out that apparently the radio on Kylo’s car had worked this whole time but he’d just never used it. With the soft, white noise of the radio in the background and the warm day Hux found himself feeling like a cat caught in a sunray. He played with ice patterns he drew on the window with his mutation for some time, making Kylo laugh at the childish display. He found himself laughing along, feeling completely free to do so. 

It was such a stark difference to the panic of the day previous that it caused some strange dissonance in time and Hux found himself locked between the moods of the very two different days. He let the strangeness ride out at he watched the countryside go whizzing past outside the window, finding the normality of foreign plains to be oddly comforting. He watched towns and towns go by, and never felt the need to question a single one. He trusted Kylo to lead him. He could let him mind go blank.

The sun was setting, and he found that he’d lost complete track of time by the time they pulled into a large field, this one with a massive, cultivated field in it. They pulled up to a gate with pristine metal bars. There was a plaque along the side of a layered brick wall. It read:

_Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngster’s_

_1407 Greymalkin Lane, Salem Centre, Westchester County, New York._

 

The gates opened with a flick of Kylo’s hand, and they drove on through down the gravel path. As they approached Hux could clearly see that this place was absolutely gargantuan. The mansion bordered on looking like a castle, towering and overshadowing everything in its way. It was made of old stone, but very lovingly cleaned and cared for.

As they rolled to a stop and exited the car Hux found himself in awe of the extreme majesty of the place. Even the gardens were manicured to perfection. Whoever lived here certainly had money to spare.  

“Where are we?” Hux asked, letting his eyes wander.

There was a smirk on Kylo’s face. “You’ll see.”

Kylo took Hux’s hand in his own, leading him onwards into the building. Kylo strode through the grounds as if this place was his home. Kylo, much to Hux’s surprise, seem all that impressed by their surroundings.

As Kylo took him in through the main doors and into a massive foyer his senses were assaulted by even gaudier sights. The floor was polished marble, barely any scuff marks to be seen in its pearly sheen. Above them hung a glistening chandelier, glittering in the soft orange light streaming through the open windows at the top of the staircase that engulfed the furthest place from the door. The windows where crystal clear. Hux felt his jaw drop at the sight.

“I looked like that too when I first saw this, you know,” Kylo said. Hux’s vision snapped to Kylo’s.

There were the sound of footsteps behind them, small, quick and fast encroaching. Hux barely had the time to step out of the way of a small child as they called Kylo’s name and flung themselves around his legs. Kylo looked down in shock, and Hux’s eyes followed. He spotted two very familiar little pigtails.

“Rosaline?” Kylo asked, looking down at the child attached to his leg. Rosaline leaned back, beaming up at Kylo, a healthy blush across her cheeks.

“Hi, Kylo,” she said, letting go of his legs and stepping back.

Kylo smiled down at her, his face one of shocked joy. “You made it.”

Rosaline nodded, the movement proud and self-assured.

“Rosaline!” Another voice called, the sound high pitched and unbroken. Hux followed the source, and found a little boy waving by the doorway on their left. Rosaline looked to Kylo expectedly, who nodded, and then she ran after the boy, the two of the disappearing around the corner.

“Ah, Rosaline, no running in the foyer, please! Go outside if you want to do that!” Another strange voice chided from behind them.

As Hux turned to look he found himself having to look lower than he originally intended, the man who had scolded Rosaline residing in a metal wheelchair. He slowly rolled towards them, catching Kylo’s eye.

“Kylo, I see you’ve returned to me in one piece,” The man said. His voice was familiar in some strange, deja-vu inducing way he couldn’t put his finger on. “And who is this?” The man in the chair looked at Hux expectantly, his blue eyes piercing.

Kylo cleared his throat next to him. “Professor, this is Armitage Hux. You told me you felt something within him.”

The professor cocked an eyebrow at that. “Yes, I certainly did.” The professor turned to Hux, holding out his hand to shake. “I am Professor Charles Xavier, the founder of Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngster’s.”

Hux took the Xavier’s hand quickly, their handshake firm and formal. “Wonderful to meet you, Professor.” 

His eyes drifted from Hux to Kylo. “You seem like you have more to say, Kylo, do speak up.”

“He’s a mutant,” Kylo said. “We found out on the way here.”

The professor nodded, as though he had suspected all along, a pair of fingers resting against his temple. He turned to Hux with a coy but friendly smile pulled across his lips. “Say, Hux, would you be interested in learning how to control that power?”

Hux looked to Kylo, who was already smiling at him with warmth he could easily lose himself within. Kylo smiled, took Hux’s hand within his own, and then gave a curt but encouraging nod. Hux knew immediately what his answer was going to be.

“It would be my pleasure.”   

Xavier immediately began to chatter to Hux, but he wasn’t listening, too busy lost in Kylo’s bright smile. He felt a chill run through him once again, but this time it didn’t bother him. Kylo burned so brightly that it chased away any true cold he could have felt.

In finding his frost, he had found his flame.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr as stardestroyervigilance here


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